ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Ammonium Nitrate

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the regulation of the sale, storage and use of ammonium nitrate products.

Alun Michael: The potential hazards of ammonium nitrate (AN) are well-known and well-documented. The Government has already taken a number of measures to tighten controls in the general climate of heightened security, We need to balance the risks of potential misuse associated with AN against its clear and proven benefits in supporting food output in this country.
	The Government has been working with the fertiliser industry to ensure the safe supply of Ammonium Nitrate (AN) fertiliser. We have endorsed Industry Guidelines which advise producers and sellers of AN fertiliser to:
	sell only to known, bone fide customers, in particular those who have a credit account;
	refrain from making cash sales;
	ask questions to potential buyers of AN fertiliser to establish their knowledge of agriculture;
	in the case of suspicious enquiries, to record and notify the police of the purchaser's name and address (verified by documentary proof such as details from a driving licence) and full details of the enquirers vehicle, including the registration number.
	We are continuing our dialogue with Industry and have invited them to produce a Code of Practice to encourage direct deliveries from manufacturers to farmers to shorten supply chains and ensure better traceability, Industry will also be working closely with the National Farmers Unions to remind farmers about the safe storage and use of AN.
	To supplement these voluntary measures, the Government has taken a number of steps to tighten controls on AN:
	Defra has introduced regulations to control the supply of both home produced and imported AN. The regulations require AN fertiliser, with a high nitrogen content, including mixtures, to have satisfied a Detonation Resistance Test.
	The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a self-help checklist to all those known to be handling or storing significant quantities of AN. The checklist has been distributed widely. It is aimed at spreading good practice and offering HSE as a source of further advice.
	Additionally, HSE has lowered the notification threshold under the Notification of Installations Handling Hazardous Substances Regulations 1982 from 500 to 150 tonnes and widened the range of products to be included in the notifications. Further measures will be taken if necessary.

Ammonium Nitrate

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to ban the use of ammonium nitrate fertilisers for agricultural purposes.

Alun Michael: There are no current plans to ban the use of Ammonium Nitrate (AN) fertilisers. The Government have already taken a number of measures to tighten controls on AN in the general climate of heightened security We need to balance the risks and potential misuse associated with AN against its clear and proven benefits in supporting food output in this country. Further measures will be taken if necessary.

Ammonium Nitrate

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to control the sale of ammonium nitrate; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The potential hazards of AN are well-known and well-documented. The Government has already taken a number of measures to tighten controls in the general climate of heightened security. We need to balance the risks of potential misuse associated with AN against its clear and proven benefits in supporting food output in this country.
	The Government has been working with the fertiliser industry to control the supply of Ammonium Nitrate (AN) fertiliser. We have endorsed Industry Guidelines which advise producers and sellers of AN fertiliser to:
	sell only to known, bone fide customers, in particular those who have a credit account;
	refrain from making cash sales;
	ask questions to potential buyers of AN fertiliser to establish their knowledge of agriculture;
	in the case of suspicious enquiries, to record the purchaser's name and address (verified by documentary proof such as details from a driving licence) and full details of the enquirers vehicle, including the registration number.
	We are continuing our dialogue with Industry and have asked them to produce a Code of Practice to encourage direct deliveries from manufacturers to farmers to shorten supply chains and ensure better traceability.
	To supplement the voluntary measures, Defra introduced regulations on 1 May 2003 to control the supply of both home produced and imported AN. The regulations require AN fertiliser, with a high nitrogen content, including mixtures, to have satisfied a Detonation Resistance Test. Further measures will be taken if necessary.

Ancient Woodland

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of each county was covered by ancient woodland in (a) 1983, (b) 1993 and (c) 2003.

Ben Bradshaw: An initial inventory of ancient woodland was undertaken in the 1980s. Some counties have been fully resurveyed since then, and some sites newly added or deleted. To update the inventory country-wide, English Nature has begun a 10 county pilot project using digital boundaries and aerial photography. This pilot will be complete in June 2004. The following table provides the best data available at present.
	
		Percentage cover of ancient woodland1 by county from 1980s and 1990s
		
			  Percentage cover from: 
			 County(2) Original data (1981–88) Most recent data (1998) 
		
		
			 Avon 2.4 2.3 
			 Bedfordshire 2.1 2.1 
			 Berkshire 4.6 4.4 
			 Buckinghamshire 4.5 4.7 
			 Cambridgeshire 0.8 0.8 
			 Cheshire 0.7 0.7 
			 Cleveland 2.5 2.4 
			 Cornwall 1.9 1.9 
			 Cumbria 2.3 2.3 
			 Derbyshire 1.7 1.7 
			 Devon 2.2 2.2 
			 Dorset 2.9 2.9 
			 Durham 1.7 1.7 
			 East Sussex 10.4 10.4 
			 Essex 2.4 2.4 
			 Gloucestershire 6.7 6.8 
			 Greater London 1.6 1.6 
			 Greater Manchester 0.6 0.6 
			 Hampshire 7.5 7.7 
			 Hereford and Worcester 4.7 4.7 
			 Hertfordshire 3.3 3.5 
			 Humberside 0.2 0.2 
			 Isle of Wight 4.1 4.1 
			 Kent 8.0 7.9 
			 Lancashire 0.9 0.9 
			 Leicestershire 1.0 1.0 
			 Lincolnshire 1.0 1.0 
			 Merseyside 0.2 0.2 
			 Norfolk 0.5 0.5 
			 North Yorkshire 1.7 1.7 
			 Northamptonshire 2.7 2.8 
			 Northumberland 1.0 1.0 
			 Nottinghamshire 1.0 1.0 
			 Oxfordshire 2.9 2.9 
			 Shropshire 2.7 2.7 
			 Somerset 2.6 2.6 
			 South Yorkshire 2.9 2.9 
			 Staffordshire 2.1 2.1 
			 Suffolk 1.1 1.1 
			 Surrey 5.8 5.8 
			 Tyne and Wear 2.0 2.0 
			 Warwickshire 2.1 2.1 
			 West Midlands 0.8 0.8 
			 West Sussex 8.5 8.6 
			 West Yorkshire 1.7 1.7 
			 Wiltshire 3.7 3.7 
		
	
	(1) Ancient woodlands are areas that have been continually wooded since 1600. There are two types of ancient woodland—ancient semi-natural woodlands and plantations on ancient woodland sites.
	(2) Post-1974 counties.
	Source:
	English Nature.

Bovine TB

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department carries out routine monitoring of feral cats to ascertain the incidence of TB in this population.

Ben Bradshaw: There is no routine monitoring by Defra of feral cats to ascertain the incidence of TB in this population.

Bovine TB

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost was of establishing the experimental badger research facility in Weybridge; and what the status of the unit is.

Ben Bradshaw: The cost of establishing the badger facility was about £350,000. The facility contains a colony of animals, known to be uninfected with bovine TB, living in their natural environment.

Common Agricultural Policy

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her most recent assessment is of the effect of the Common Agricultural Policy on the cost of the average family's weekly food purchases.

Alun Michael: The consumer cost of the CAP can be estimated by examining the difference between UK and world prices for agricultural food products. Our latest provisional estimates for 2002 show a cost of the Common Agricultural Policy to a notional family of four due to higher food prices at approximately £4 to £4.50 per week.

Common Land

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what provisions are in place to enable mistakes following the initial registration of common land to be rectified.

Alun Michael: The provisions of the Commons Registration Act 1965, and subsequent regulations which set out the detailed registration procedures, make only very limited provision for an amendment to the registers to be made to resolve minor clerical errors or omissions. Additionally, in certain cases, errors may be rectified by the High Court. The Common Land Policy Statement, published in July 2002, contains an outline proposal to make further provision in new legislation for the correction of errors. It is also intended that the scope of this provision will be wider than before. Although we hope to bring forward measures as soon as Parliamentary time permits, I can give no guarantee at this stage either about the timing of legislation, or its scope.

Departmental Expenditure (Sittingbourne and Sheppey)

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the expenditure of her Department and its predecessors was for the constituency of Sittingbourne and Sheppey between (a) 1992 and 1997, (b) 1997 and 2001 and (c) 2001 and 2004.

Alun Michael: Expenditure information is not currently held by the Department on a constituency basis and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However Defra is investigating whether it would be feasible to provide data on this basis readily in the future and if so, when it would be able to do so.

Electric Shock Dog Collars

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for   Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what statutory powers she has to ban the sale of electric shock dog collars;
	(2)  how many electric shock dog collars were sold in the last year for which figures are available;
	(3)  what representations she has received in the last three months regarding the (a) sale and (b) use of electric shock dog collars;
	(4)  what assessment her Department has made of the effect on a dog of the use of an electric shock dog collar.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra is currently reviewing the legislation relating to the welfare of captive and domestic animals with the intention of introducing an Animal Welfare Bill into Parliament in the fourth legislative session. It is intended that any new legislation should include a power for the Secretary of State to prohibit or restrict the sale and use of certain devices used on animals. Any proposal to prohibit or restrict the sale and use of any device should be based on scientific evidence. As there is currently no such evidence available in respect of electronic training devices for animal, it is not currently proposed that any restrictions should be put in place.
	Figures for the sale of electronic training devices for animals are not held centrally. The Department has received occasional representations from members of the public and organisations both opposed to and in support of the use of these devices.

EU Agriculture Council

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for   Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who will represent the UK Government at the meeting of the European Agriculture Council in Luxembourg on 26 and 27 April.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 22 April 2004
	I will be representing the UK Government.

Fisheries

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what fishing restrictions apply to vessels not registered in the UK within (a) three mile, (b) six mile and (c) 12 mile limits from the UK coast; and what distinction is made between non UK-registered vessels with and without an historic entitlement.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 22 April 2004
	Only UK fishing vessels are allowed to fish in the zero to six mile zone around UK waters. Certain member states with historical catch records in UK waters can fish in the six to 12 mile zone. No distinction is made between non UK registered vessels with and without a historical entitlement. Access is granted on the basis of member states' historic fishing activities.

Food Industry Waste

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of (a) the additional volume of food industry waste that is disposed of in landfill, the sewage system or otherwise as a result of the ban on swill feeding and (b) the change this represents in terms of the risk of spread of communicable animal diseases; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The disposal of catering waste to landfill is a longstanding practice and only 1.4 per cent. of the national pig herd was swill fed. The increase in the amount of catering waste going to landfill following the ban on 93 swill users for about 82,000 pigs was therefore very small compared to the total amount of catering waste generated from the 260,000 restaurants and other catering outlets across the UK, which as a matter of course, currently goes to landfill.
	It is not possible to give a definitive picture of the disposal methods for the relatively small amount of catering waste that was formerly fed to pigs but it is not considered to be ending up down sewers as has been   suggested. There are day-to-day problems with blockages to drains and sewers which are dealt with by the various authorities, but the main stream of catering waste is collectable and is not in a form that can be easily disposed of down the sewer.
	In common with all methods of disposing of animal by-products disposal to landfill does carry some risks to animal health. Among the measures in place to minimise such risks landfill operators work to specific conditions of their licence or permit including covering waste with inert material and maintaining a strict pest control programme.
	No comparative risk assessment has been made of the risks of swill feeding and landfill when exotic diseases are absent from the national herd. However, when a disease such as foot and mouth is present, the level of virus circulating increases the risk from swill feeding.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Liverpool, Walton have benefited from the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme.

Alun Michael: Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 7,290 households in Liverpool, Walton received assistance from the Scheme, which is now marketed as Warm Front.

Pesticide Voluntary Initiative

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make an evaluation of the Pesticide Voluntary Initiative.

Alun Michael: Progress with the Voluntary Initiative on pesticides is reviewed regularly and Government report their broad conclusions in the Budget and Pre-Budget Report. In Budget 2004 the Government confirmed their view that, provided the initiative is fully implemented, the Voluntary Initiative should be the most effective way of reducing the environmental impacts of pesticide use. However, to cover the potential case that the Voluntary Initiative might fail to deliver the required environmental benefits within a reasonable timescale, the Government continue to keep the options for a tax or economic instrument under review.

Recruitment

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost of recruitment of civil servants for the Department was in each financial year since 1996–97, broken down by (a) delegated or contracted out recruitment procedures and (b) recruitment procedures carried out by the Department.

Alun Michael: Defra was created in June 2001 so information for Defra can only be given from that date.
	Given the structure of the Human Resources function within the Department prior to 1 April 2004 the information requested is available only at disproportionate cost. From 1 April this year recruitment and selection activity will be undertaken by a central HR Resource Centre.
	Recruitment procedures used to bring in staff to Defra may vary depending on several factors including the number, grades and/or locations of vacancies and any specialisms involved.

Register of Interests

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the requirements are on officials in her Department to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for her departmental officials.

Alun Michael: The Civil Service Management Code sets out the requirements for civil servants declaring any conflicts of interest.
	Arrangements in Defra for declaring conflicts of interest are set out in the interim Defra Staff Handbook which is derived from the Civil Service Management Code. Officials are required to inform Human Resources, via their line manager, of any conflicts of interest. Details are recorded centrally within Human Resources.

St. George's Day

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans her Department has to mark and celebrate St. George's Day.

Alun Michael: As a Department, Defra has made no plans to mark St. George's Day.

Swill Feeding

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the farm at Heddon View was a specialised establishment equipped for the treatment of swill; and whether there were animals there.

Ben Bradshaw: Premises at Heddon View were approved to process catering waste into swill. There were no animals on the processing premises.

Swill Feeding

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether Mr. Bobby Waugh transferred swill for processing to the farm at Heddon View.

Ben Bradshaw: Mr. Waugh transported catering waste to the farm at Heddon View for processing into swill.

Trees

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of trees (a) had full crowns, (b) had slight defoliation, (c) had moderate defoliation, (d) had severe defoliation and (e) were dead in the latest survey conducted on behalf of her Department into tree health in the UK, broken down by region.

Ben Bradshaw: The latest survey was conducted jointly by the Forestry Commission and the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland between June and September 2003. The UK data, in the format reported internationally, are given in the following table:
	
		
			 Class Percentage of trees 
		
		
			 Not defoliated 28.8 
			 Slightly defoliated 46.5 
			 Moderately defoliated 23.2 
			 Severely defoliated 0.9 
			 Dead 0.6 
		
	
	The UK does not collect or analyse these data by region.

Vital Villages Programme

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a   statement on the reasons why the Vital Villages Programme is being ended.

Alun Michael: The Countryside Agency established the Vital Villages Programme in 2001 in response to the Rural White Paper. It was a time-limited programme designed to demonstrate what communities could achieve. The Countryside Agency has met its three-year target to help rural communities to help themselves and demonstrate good practice.
	In 2004–05 the Countryside Agency is targeting its resources on meeting all existing grant commitments under the Vital Villages programme and helping communities benefit from the funds already committed to them. It will also work to share the lessons learnt with regional and local delivery bodies.

Vital Villages Programme

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what evaluation she has undertaken of the effectiveness of the Vital Villages programme.

Alun Michael: The Countryside Agency's Vital Villages programme has been independently monitored and evaluated over the past three years through six-monthly monitoring and annual evaluation reports. In addition, the Countryside Agency is undertaking impact evaluations of the Parish Plan and Community Service grant schemes, with reports due by the end of September. The Rural Transport Partnership scheme has also been evaluated and a summary note will be published shortly.
	The Countryside Agency has produced several publications drawing on these reports to share the successful lessons and the effectiveness of the schemes, namely:
	Get your Community Moving (transport);
	Great Ways to Go (transport);
	Wheels to Work (transport);
	Taxi Voucher Toolkit (transport);
	Parish Plan Guidance for Local Authorities; and
	Parish Plan Guidance for Parish Councils.
	The Agency has also published various leaflets on community buildings, case studies, and good practice (all schemes).

TREASURY

Child Benefit

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how long on average it has taken in the last 12 months for grandparents who become responsible for their grandchildren to be awarded child benefit for   those grandchildren by the Child Benefit Centre once they have notified the centre of these new responsibilities.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available as we do not keep separate records for grandparents and other claimants.

Financial Ombudsman Service

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects of the system of targets and bonuses in the Financial Ombudsman Service on the quality of its work.

Ruth Kelly: None. The Financial Ombudsman Service is an independent body. Responsibility for managing the work of the Financial Ombudsman Service is a matter for them.
	I understand from the ombudsman service that quality assurance is embedded in the control processes of the service. Appropriate checks are made, in the first instance, at management level and the Board of the Financial Ombudsman Service receives monthly reports on service quality, timeliness and productivity. The most important quality check however lies in the ability of either party to a dispute to request that an ombudsman decide the outcome rather than consenting to the outcome proposed by an adjudicator. Only10 per cent. of cases are required to be decided by an ombudsman.

Financial Ombudsman Service

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from (a) industry and (b) the public on the system of targets   and bonuses in the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Ruth Kelly: None. The Financial Ombudsman Service is an independent body. The staff employed by it are not civil servants, and the arrangements for managing and paying their staff are matters for the Financial Ombudsman Service and its Board.

Financial Ombudsman Service

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research he has conducted into the system of targets and bonuses in the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Ruth Kelly: None. The Financial Ombudsman Service is an independent body. Responsibility for monitoring the level of service is a matter for the Financial Ombudsman Service itself.
	I understand from the Financial Ombudsman Service that the Board of the Financial Ombudsman Service receives monthly reports on customer satisfaction research, and these have shown over the past 12 months overall satisfaction rates of between 75 per cent. and 88 per cent. The Financial Ombudsman Service also published in March 2004 research on what firms think about their service; the research showed that the vast majority of firms were satisfied with the fairness of decisions and with the process.

National Asset Register

Edward Davey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the next version of the National Asset Register to be published.

Ruth Kelly: The Government is considering the arrangements for publishing the next version of theNational Asset Register and will make an announcement shortly.

Parliamentary Questions

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much, on average, it costs the Government to respond to a parliamentary question.

Ruth Kelly: As at April 2003, the average cost of answering a written parliamentary question and an oral parliamentary question was £138 and £322 respectively.

Tax Credits

Annette Brooke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his forecast is of the expenditure on the childcare element of the working tax credit in 2004–05.

Dawn Primarolo: The level of childcare support provided through the childcare element of Working Tax Credit in 2003–04 is estimated to be over £700 million.
	No separate forecast has been made for 2004–05.

Tax Credits

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Heywood and Middleton have received child tax credit.

James Purnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Stalybridge and Hyde have received child tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friends to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Burton (Mrs. Dean) on 15 March 2004, Official Report, column 98W.

Business Taxation

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in Heywood and Middleton have benefited from the 100 per cent. tax exemption for the purchase of computer and internet equipment.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is not available.

Business Taxation

James Purnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in Stalybridge and Hyde have benefited from the 100 per cent. tax exemption for the purchase of computers and internet equipment.

Dawn Primarolo: The requested information is not available.

Customs and Excise (Court Cases)

John Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many defendants in cases brought by HM Customs and Excise have had to pay the costs of the criminal receivership of their assets when they have been acquitted where the case against them was withdrawn in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003.

John Healey: HM Customs and Excise do not collect the information requested centrally. However, court appointed receivers in Customs cases have identified the following 14 cases where defendants have borne the fees of a receiver in circumstances in which they were acquitted or were not convicted for any reason:
	
		Number
		
			  Defendants 
		
		
			 (a)  
			 2001 2 
			   
			 (b)  
			 2002 9 
			   
			 (c)  
			 2003 3 
		
	
	In two of the above cases liability for the receivers' fees is disputed.

Discretionary Trusts

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to change the rules regarding the setting-up of discretionary trusts; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Setting up discretionary trusts is a matter for the would-be settlers. If they proceed, however, they may in due course have to notify the Inland Revenue for inheritance tax purposes and to pay any tax due. We have no plans to change these rules.

Employment Statistics

James Purnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of unemployment was in each year since 1997 in Stalybridge and Hyde.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. James Purnell, dated 27 April 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about unemployment.
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation definitions. However, the LFS sample size is too small to give reliable estimates of unemployment in the Stalybridge and Hyde Parliamentary Constituency.
	ONS also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) for local areas including parliamentary constituencies.
	The table below gives the annual average number of JSA claimants for the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency for each year since 1997.
	
		Annual average number of JSA claimants for Stalybridge and Hyde constituency
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 2,170 
			 1998 1,826 
			 1999 1,855 
			 2000 1,565 
			 2001 1,348 
			 2002 1,294 
			 2003 1,309

Incinerator Tax

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason the proposed incinerator tax   was not referred to in December's pre-budget report.

John Healey: The Government announced in PBR 2002 that it would commission a study into the environmental and health effects of all waste management and disposal options. It remains the Government's intention to consider the case for using economic instruments for incineration in light of this work, taking account of the views of stakeholders.
	PBR 2003 noted that the first of two stages of this work was being reviewed, with the aim of publishing the complete study in the spring.

Income Tax

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many senior citizens in Heywood and Middleton qualified for the 10 pence rate of income tax in each year since its introduction.

Dawn Primarolo: All income taxpayers benefit from the 10 pence starting rate. The Survey of Personal Incomes estimates there are about 8,000 and 9,000 state retirement pension age taxpayers in the Heywood and Middleton constituency in 2000–01 and 2001–02 respectively. Figures for 1999–2000 are currently not available.

Income Tax

James Purnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many senior citizens in Stalybridge and Hyde qualified for the 10p rate of income tax in each year since its introduction.

Dawn Primarolo: All income taxpayers benefit from the 10p starting rate. The Survey of Personal Incomes estimates there are about 3,000 state retirement pension age taxpayers in the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency in 2001–02. A reliable answer cannot be given for 2000–01 because in the Survey of Personal Incomes the sample size of pensioners living in this constituency is relatively small compared to other constituencies. Figures for 1999–2000 are currently not available.

National Insurance Call Centres

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the location is of each of the national insurance call centres; how many people work at each; how many complaints were received concerning each one in 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Longbenton Contact Centre which is located at Benton Park View, Longbenton, Newcastle upon Tyne is the only Contact Centre dedicated tohandling calls concerning national insurance contributions. It is the first point of contact by telephone for most unsolicited queries relating to national insurance contributions.
	Presently there are 441 staff employed in Longbenton Contact Centre. In 2003, 58 complaints were received.

New Cars (LPG)

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason the extra cost of re-engineering a new car for LPG is entered on the P11D form for company cars in a similar way to luxury items.

John Healey: The extra cost of converting a new car to run on LPG after it is first registered does not have to be entered on the P11D form for company cars.

Overseas Aid

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to set a timetable for the UK to reach the target of spending 0.7 per cent. of gross national income on overseas aid.

John Healey: We remain committed to the UN target and will continue to make progress towards 0.7 per cent. as the fiscal climate permits. The 2004 Spending Review is an opportunity to consider plans for development spending beyond 2005–06, alongside other priorities and pressures, but at this time it is not possible to predict the outcome of the Spending Review. In his Budget 2004 speech, the Chancellor announced that this Government will not freeze or cut the international development aid budget, but rather increase it. This is part of the Government's continuing commitment to increasing development aid. By 2005–06 the UK's aid budget will have grown by 93 per cent. in real term to 0.4 per cent. the largest ever increase in UK development funding. This will be double the current (2002) G7 average of 0.2 per cent. and well above the current (2002) average of 0.23 per cent. for countries on the OECD Development Assistance Committee. As our record shows, we are serious about making progress towards 0.7 per cent.
	However, there is an urgent need for additional funds now if we are to make progress on meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The reality is that we will not raise the $50 billion needed every year to meet the MDGs unless every bilateral donor reaches 0.7 per cent. immediately. If even just two or three of the biggest bilateral donors fail to reach 0.7 per cent. now, we will fail to raise the funds required. That is why the Government has proposed an International Finance Facility (IFF) in order to deliver these resources. The IFF provides a realistic and feasible way of front-loading aid to meet the immediate need.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter from the hon.   Member for Walsall, North of 15 March 2004 concerning a constituent, ref. PO3/15023/2004.

Dawn Primarolo: I have done so.

Sick Pay

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice the Inland Revenue has provided in relation to the provision of statutory sick pay for temporary workers; and what the legal basis is upon which that advice has been made.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue has published guidance on the position of temporary workers in booklet CA 30 which is also available via the internet.
	Inland Revenue guidance is based on the legislative provisions surrounding the SSP scheme and specifically on Part 11 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992; Sections 45 and 51 of the Employment Act 2002; The Statutory Sick Pay (General) Regulations 1982; The Social Security (Categorisation of Earners) Regulations 1978 and The Fixed-term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002.

Sick Pay

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations have been made to the Inland Revenue in relation to its advice on the provision of statutory sick pay for temporary workers.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue have received a number of representations on this subject from both employer representative groups and from individual employers. The Inland Revenue is always happy to enter into discussions with employers over the format, content and application of published guidance.

Tax Credits (Scotland)

John Thurso: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many recipients of tax credits in Scotland have been overpaid and issued with demands for lump sum repayments by (a) letter and (b) telephone.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my   answer of 3 November 2003, Official Report, columns 394–95W. By 29 March 2004 the Inland Revenue had sent 379 letters to claimants in Scotland, of which 67 had been followed up by a telephone call.

DEFENCE

War Pensions

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people were in receipt of (a) war pension and (b) war widow's pension in 1997; and how many there are in each category now.

Ivor Caplin: As at 31 March 1997, there were 264,595 war disablement pensions and 59,025 war widows pensions in payment. As at 31 December 2003, there were 205,090 war disablement pensions and 45,755 war widow/ers pensions in payment.

Apache Helicopter

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many Apache helicopters (a) are based and (b) will be based at AAC Dishforth;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the maintenance condition of the Apache helicopters based at AAC Dishforth;
	(3)  what funding has been allocated for the maintenance of Apache helicopters at AAC Dishforth.

Adam Ingram: There are currently 12 WAH-64 Apache aircraft based at Dishforth Station. A further four will be located at Dishforth within the next few months, bringing the total to 16.
	All Apache helicopters held at Dishforth are consistently maintained to a high level. Their airworthiness condition is formally assessed by Army aircraft engineers before each flight, and is constantly monitored by aircrew during flight.
	The funding allocated in financial year 2004–05 for spares maintenance support for WAH-64 Apache aircraft at Dishforth Station totals some £450,000.

Armed Forces Deployments

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the positioning of the British armed forces throughout the world; what size forces are in each place; and what their operational status is.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Mid Sussex (Mr. Soames) on 19 April 2004, Official Report, column 15W.

Defence Employment (Hampshire)

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many local employees are forecast to be employed as a consequence of the increased concentration of Royal Naval facilities in Portsmouth and South East Hampshire over the next five years, based on current plans.

Ivor Caplin: Studies which may result in further rationalisation and concentration of Royal Navy facilities in Portsmouth and South East Hampshire over the next five years are at only the preliminary stage and it is too early to predict how this might affect local employment.

Finningley Airport

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of maintaining Finningley Airport in each of the last five years of ownership by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: RAF Finningley was closed on 31 March 1996 and was sold in 1999. Cost information prior to closure is no longer available. However, the cost of maintaining the site during the disposal process is set out in the table.
	
		£
		
			 Financial year 
		
		
			 1998–99 617,797 
			 1999–2000 185,538 
			 2000–01 298

Medical Services

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many medical personnel are based at (a) AAC Dishforth, (b) RAF Leeming, (c) RAF Linton on Ouse and (d) Alanbrooke Barracks, broken down by service, rank and specialisation.

Ivor Caplin: The following medical personnel are based at each base:
	
		
			 Unit Service/civilian Rank Appointment Number 
		
		
			 AAC Dishforth Military Personnel Lieutenant Colonel Regimental Medical Officer 1 
			  — Sergeant Combat Medical Technician 1 
			  — Corporal Combat Medical Technician 2 
			  — Corporal Nurse 1 
			  — Lance Corporal Combat Medical Technician 2 
			  Civilian Personnel Doctor Civilian Medical Practitioner 2 
			 Total — — — 9 
			  
			 Alanbrooke Barracks Military Personnel Sergeant Combat Medical Technician 1 
			  — Corporal Combat Medical Technician 1 
			  — Lance Corporal Combat Medical Technician 3 
			  Civilian Personnel Doctor Civilian Medical Practitioner 2 
			  — Registered General Nurse Nurse 1 
			 Total — — — 8 
			  
			 RAF Linton on Ouse Military Personnel Squadron Leader Station Medical Officer 1 
			  — Squadron Leader Principal Nursing Officer 1 
			  — Sergeant Principal Nurse 1 
			  — Sergeant Medical Administrator 1 
			  — Corporal Medical Administrator 3 
			  — SAC Medical Assistant 12 
			  — LAC Medical Assistant 2 
			  Civilian Personnel Doctor Deputy Station Medical Officer 1 
			 Total — — — 22 
			  
			 RAF Leeming Military Personnel Wing Commander Station Medical Officer 1 
			  — Deputy Station Medical Officer Flight Lieutenant 1 
			  — Nursing Officer Flight Lieutenant 1 
			  — Flight Sergeant Medical Administrator 1 
			  — Sergeant Medical Administrator 1 
			  — Corporal Medical Administrator 4 
			  — Corporal Environmental Health Technician 1 
			  — Corporal Registered General Nurse 1 
			  — SAC Medical Assistant 7 
			  Civilian Personnel Doctor Civilian Medical Practitioner 2 
			  — Registered General Nurse Nurse 1 
			  — MTO3 Pharmacy Technician 1 
			 Total22

Military Goods Transfers

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what circumstances a transfer of military goods is classed as eligible for Crown Immunity rather than constituting a disposal sale; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 31 March 2004
	Letters of Crown Immunity are sought for the export of strategically controlled goods for exhibition overseas, for demonstration to foreign Governments and in connection with the repair or modification of Crown owned equipment. It is no longer the practice of the MOD's Disposal Services Agency (DSA) to undertake the export of surplus goods it has sold in this manner. The purchasing customer will take ownership of the goods in the UK and arrange their export under licence.

Ministerial Meetings/Conversations

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action his Department has taken to implement the recommendation of Sir Anthony Hammond about writing notes of ministerial meetings and telephone conversations.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 26 February 2004
	The Ministry of Defence follows the central "Guidance on the Management of Private Office Papers" which makes clear that good record management procedures are necessary not least to ensure accountability and provide an audit trail. Among the records covered by the guidance are Ministers' meetings and telephone conversations.

Nuclear Installations (Aircraft Incidents)

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each near miss incident involving RAF aircraft and United Kingdom nuclear installations reported to his Department in each year since 2000; and if he will place copies of the report on each incident in the Library.

Adam Ingram: Restricted areas for aircraft have existed around nuclear facilities for many years. In the aftermath of 9/11 the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) revisited this policy, issuing an amendment to Article 85 of the Air Navigation Order, and now major nuclear installations have a restricted area of two nautical mile radius
	The number of alleged breaches of restricted areas involving RAF aircraft and United Kingdom nuclear installations reported to the Ministry of Defence in each year since 2000 is detailed in the following table. The Ministry of Defence, Defence Flying Complaints Investigation Team carried out investigations on each occasion and concluded that five of these were found to have infringed restricted areas. I will shortly place copies of all reports of the investigations in the Library, with all personal data redacted in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
	
		
			  Total number of complaints Total confirmed breach Under investigation 
		
		
			 2000 6 — — 
			 2001 19 — — 
			 2002 18 3 — 
			 2003 11 1 — 
			 2004 (up to 31 March 04) 3 1 1

Prisoners (Self-harm)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 25 March, Official Report, column 941W, on self-harm, what target he has set for the completion of the feasibility stage of the project to collate data centrally on incidents of self-harm in the services; what the targets are for completion of the project; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: The Ministry of Defence continues to look at the identification and recording of self-harm incidents, of reporting systems and of analysis within the services. A feasibility report is due by the end of the summer. Its conclusions will determine future work.

Redundancy Payments

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for   Defence how much his Department has spent in each   year since 1997 on redundancy payments for (a) administrative staff and (b) industrial staff.

Ivor Caplin: Information on redundancy payments for administrative and industrial staff are not held separately The Department does not hold records centrally for redundancy payments and the information will need to be collated. I will therefore write to the hon. Member when the information is available and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Register of Interests

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the requirements are on officials in his Department to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for his departmental officials.

Ivor Caplin: The Civil Service Management Code sets out the requirement for civil servants declaring any conflict of interest.
	The Code is amplified by further MOD policy guidance to staff on personal conduct, outside interests and appointments, and the receipt of gifts, rewards and hospitality.

Saville Inquiry (Confidentiality)

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what study he has made of the implications for former soldiers called before the Saville Inquiry of the recent judgment in the case involving the Bank of England and BCCI.

Adam Ingram: The judgment has implications across Government and these are being given full and careful consideration.

Saville Inquiry (Confidentiality)

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will resist any attempt to secure the release of confidential exchanges between former soldiers called before the Saville Inquiry and their legal advisers.

Adam Ingram: That is a matter for the independent lawyers who advise the soldiers.

SCOTLAND

White Fish Industry

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has held with the First Minister about the future of the Scottish white fish industry.

Anne McGuire: My right hon. Friend and the First Minister discuss a wide range of issues.

Post Office Network (Scotland)

Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has held with Royal Mail regarding postal services in Scotland.

Anne McGuire: The Scotland Office is in regular contact, at both official and ministerial levels, with Royal Mail and other key stakeholders involved in the delivery of postal services in Scotland.

Post Office Network (Scotland)

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will make a statement on the future of the Post Office network in Scotland.

Anne McGuire: The Government recognise the important role that Post Offices play in the lives of people throughout Scotland, and we are committed to doing all we can to ensure a viable Post Office network for the future.

Pensioner Payment

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many pensioners in Scotland he estimates will benefit from the £100 payment announced in the Budget.

Anne McGuire: Around 395,000 pensioner households in Scotland will benefit from the £100 payment, for those aged over 70, announced in the Budget.

Barnett Formula

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the future of the Barnett Formula.

Alistair Darling: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for North-West Leicestershire (David Taylor).

Economy

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will make a statement on prospects for the Scottish economy.

Alistair Darling: Prospects for the Scottish economy are good. The labour market continues to perform robustly with employment close to a historic high and unemployment around its lowest level since the 1970s. Growth figures have recently been revised upwards to better reflect real changes in the economy. Interest rates and inflation are historically low. Business surveys are pointing to a continued strengthening of business activity in Scotland in both services and manufacturing and independent forecasters predict that growth will be above-trend in 2004 and 2005.

Shipbuilding

Rachel Squire: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will make a statement on the most recent discussions he has held on future shipbuilding in Scotland.

Alistair Darling: I recently met representatives from BAE Systems during a tour of their shipbuilding facilities at Scotstoun and Govan.
	From these discussions, there was a sense that the prospects for Scottish shipbuilding are encouraging. The yards on the Clyde have healthy order books, and the industry will continue to create and support thousands of jobs in Scotland.

Employment (Glasgow)

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the level of employment in Glasgow.

Alistair Darling: There are 242,000 people in employment in Glasgow City. The labour market in Glasgow has improved markedly since 1997 as evidenced by the fall in the number of people out of work and claiming benefit. At March 2004 there were 18,000 claimants compared to 29,000 in 1997, a fall of 38 per cent. However, the Government are aware that the challenge remains to further increase employment in Glasgow. We are working hard to do so with a range of policy measures including the New Deal and the Working Tax Credit.

International Crime

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on the issue of long-term prisoners convicted of international crime.

Anne McGuire: My right hon. Friend has not had any such discussions. Matters concerning prisoners in Scotland are devolved.

Lyons Review

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has made to other Government Departments in order to secure the movement of public sector jobs to Scotland following the publication of the Lyons Review.

Alistair Darling: I have made quite clear to other Government Departments the advantages Scotland offers as a location for public sector employers and have encouraged them to consider Scotland when reviewing location plans.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

International Human Rights

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Advocate-General what international human rights issues she has considered since 16 March 2004.

Lynda Clark: As Advocate-General for Scotland my main involvement with human rights issues is in relation to those enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights. My functions under the Scotland Act include considering whether Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Parliament are acting compatibly with the Convention. In my advisory capacity as Law Officer the long-standing convention in relation to Law Officers' advice means that the fact and contents of any such advice is confidential.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Central Government Support

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how   much central Government support per head of population was given to each local authority in each year since 1997.

Nick Raynsford: The available information has been made available in the Library of the House.

Charity Shops

Alan Campbell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent assessment his Department has made of the economic impact of charity shops on town centres.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not undertaken such a study.

EU Aid (Eastern Region)

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much aid has been received by the Eastern Region from EU sources in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) aid category and (b) area receiving aid.

Nick Raynsford: The only EU funding source the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is responsible for is the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), one of the European Structural Funds. The Eastern region has benefited in the last 10 years from three of the Structural Funds, which are the ERDF, the European Social Fund (ESF) and the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF). (The Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for the ESF and the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs for EAGGF.) The detailed figures are tabled as follows.
	1994–99 Programmes:
	Total receipts from the EU during the 1994–99 period amounts to £117.7 million.
	
		
			 Programme Purpose Amount Area covered 
		
		
			 The East Anglia 5b Designed to help mainly rural areas adjust to anticipated changes in the traditional employment sectors such as farming. £26.9 million ERDF Breckland, 8 wards in Lowestoft and the areas given transitional status in the subsequent Objective 2 programme (the Fens, Rural East Suffolk and parts of Central Rural Norfolk) 
			   £3.7 million ESF  
			   £5.5 million EAGGF  
			 The KONVER II Programme Designed to assist economic diversification in areas heavily dependent on defence. £5.8 million ERDF Parts of Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Essex and Suffolk 
			 The PESCA Programme Provided support to areas, which were dependent on the declining fisheries industries. £1 million ERDF Southend, Lowestoft and King's Lynn 
			 The Leader II Programme To help local communities to develop the economies of their area, and to improve their environment and cultural life. £1.2 million ERDF Breckland, 8 wards in Lowestoft and the areas given transitional status in the subsequent Objective 2 programme (the Fens, Rural East Suffolk and parts of Central Rural Norfolk) 
			   £50,000 ESF  
			   £135,000 EAGGF  
			 The Objective 3 Programme Targeted the unemployed £63.2 million ESF National programme, so entire region eligible. 
			 The Objective 4 Programme Aimed at up-skilling the employed workforce £10.2 million ESF National programme, so entire region eligible. 
		
	
	2000–06 Programmes:
	Allocation from EU £315 million.
	
		
			  Programme  Purpose Amount of ERDF allocated  Spend as at  Area covered 
		
		
			 The East of England Objective 2 Programme For economic regeneration £100 million ERDF £28.5 million (23 April 2004)(3) Breckland, Luton, North Norfolk, Southend, Waveny and Great Yarmouth the Fens, Rural East Suffolk and parts of Central Rural Norfolk 
			   £9 million ESF   
			 The Urban II Programme (Peterborough) Initiative to tackle urban deprivation. £6.7 million ERDF £1.024 million (31 December 2003)(3) Seven wards in Peterborough 
			 The Leader + Programme To encourage new approaches to rural development £2.85 million EAGGF £0.307 million (23 April 2004)(3) Broads and Rivers The Fens 
			 The Innovative Actions Programme To test an innovative approach leading to achievement of more balanced regional development and a stronger regional identity. £1.6 million ERDF £0.45 million (23 April 2004)(3) All areas of the region are eligible. 
		
	
	(3) Date of last available data.

Housebuilding

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) private and (b) council housing starts there were in England in (i) 1992, (ii) 1997 and (iii) 2001; and what the latest figures are.

Keith Hill: The figures for England are tabled as follows:
	
		
			  (a) Private starts (b) Council starts 
		
		
			 1992 99,586 1,601 
			 1997 136,069 310 
			 2001 136,248 190 
			 2003 (provisional) 147,104 324

Housing

Peter Pike: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of how the change in the level of council funding for housing has affected the residents of Burnley since 1997.

Keith Hill: Since 1997 allocations of capital funding to   local authorities for housing purposes have risen consistently by about 15 per cent. per annum on average. This includes the Major Repairs Allowance we introduced in 2001–02 specifically for the improvement of local authority stock alongside the Decent Homes standard which sets out minimum standards to be met by 2010. Burnley transferred its housing stock to Burnley and Padiham Community Housing in 2000 for £22.4 million. Burnley's allocation of £2.5 million for 2003–04 has been supplemented by the announcement of £68 million to be made available to the East Lancashire, Elevate, Housing Market Renewal pathfinder project between 2003–04 and 2005–06.

Housing

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how the change in the level of council funding for housing has affected the residents of Heywood and Middleton since 1997.

Keith Hill: Since 1997 allocations of capital funding to local authorities for housing purposes have risen consistently by about 15 per cent. per annum on average. This includes the Major Repairs Allowance we introduced in 2001–02 specifically for the improvement of local authority stock alongside the Decent Homes standard which sets out minimum standards to be met by 2010. Rochdale's allocations in the period 1997 to 2003–04 have risen by over 450 per cent., and have been supplemented by the announcement of £53.5 million to be made available to the Oldham/Rochdale Housing Market Renewal pathfinder project between 2003–04 and 2005–06.

Housing

James Purnell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how the change in the level of council funding for housing has affected the residents of Stalybridge and Hyde since 1997.

Keith Hill: Since 1997 allocations of capital funding to   local authorities for housing purposes have risen consistently by about 15 per cent. per annum on average. This includes the Major Repairs Allowance we introduced in 2001–02 specifically for the improvement of local authority stock alongside the Decent Homes standard which sets out minimum standards to be met by 2010. Tameside transferred its housing stock to New Charter Housing in 2000 for £127.5 million. Tameside's allocation for housing in 2003–04 was £3.6 million.

Housing Market

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effect of electronic application to land searches and registration on the speed of housing market transactions; and what further improvements in the speed of these transactions will result from the introduction of sellers' packs.

Keith Hill: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 23 April 2004. For electronic searches of land registers to be possible, local authorities must first have set up electronic Local Land and Property Gazetteers (LLPGs). Such gazetteers form an integral part of local e-government, and the benefits arising from them have not been separately estimated or assessed. The overall savings from local e-government, and in particular achieving the Prime Minister's target of all priority services being electronically enabled by 2005, were estimated by local authorities themselves in 2003 as being about £80 million per annum by 2005–06. As well as efficiency savings, there will be significant benefits to authorities' customers, through improvement of service delivery including quicker land charge searches.
	Electronic processing of local land search inquiries offers the prospect of securing search information in minutes and hours rather than days and weeks. To maximise the benefits for housing transactions, local search and other information that is important to home buying and selling decisions needs to be available at the start of the transaction process. Home information packs will secure this. They will enable buyers and sellers to negotiate from an informed position and help them commit more quickly to the transaction. This will increase certainty, reduce failure and wasted costs, and help shorten the overall transaction timescale.

Local Government Finance

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which local authorities raised the level of council tax by 10 per cent. or more when setting the rate for 2004–05.

Nick Raynsford: The following authorities increased their Band D council tax by 10 per cent. or more between 2003–04 and 2004–05:
	Shire districts:
	Bedford
	Breckland
	Canterbury
	Christchurch
	Dacorum
	Daventry
	East Dorset
	Fenland
	Fylde
	Gosport
	Huntingdonshire
	Maldon
	Runnymede
	Shepway
	Spelthorne
	Shire police authorities:
	Avon and Somerset Police
	Bedfordshire Police
	Cambridgeshire Police
	Cheshire Police
	Cleveland Police
	Cumbria Police
	Durham Police
	Hampshire Police
	Hertfordshire Police
	Humberside Police
	Kent Police
	Lancashire Police
	Leicestershire Police
	Norfolk Police
	Northamptonshire Police
	Thames Valley Police
	West Mercia Police
	West Midlands Police
	West Yorkshire Police
	Wiltshire Police
	In addition, the 2004–05 Band D council tax for each of the following combined fire authorities is 10 per cent. or more above its indicative Band D council tax for 2003–04, where the indicative council tax for 2003–04 is consistent with the alternative notional amount for the authority, as published in "The Limitation of Council Tax and Precepts (Alternative Notional Amounts) Report (England) 2004/05". Indicative council taxes for 2003–04 are available on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's local government finance website, from the   'Alternative Notional Amounts' menu at http://www.local.odpm.gov.uk/finance/ct.htm.
	Avon Fire Authority
	Bedfordshire Fire Authority
	Cambridgeshire Fire Authority
	Derbyshire Fire Authority
	Dorset Fire Authority
	Durham Fire Authority
	East Sussex Fire Authority
	Essex Fire Authority
	Hampshire Fire Authority
	Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority
	Leicestershire Fire Authority
	Nottinghamshire Fire Authority
	Staffordshire Fire Authority

Non-domestic Rates

David Curry: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the yield from uniform non-domestic rates was for each year since its introduction; and what the yield would have been for each year if the rate had been set at (a) RPI plus half per cent. and (b) RPI plus 1 per cent.

Nick Raynsford: The information requested is in the following table.
	
		£ million
		
			  Actual NNDR yield NNDR yield with RPI + ½ per cent. NNDR yield with RPI + 1 per cent. 
		
		
			 1990–91 10,590 10,600 10,700 
			 1991–92 11,918 12,000 12,100 
			 1992–93 11,371 11,500 11,700 
			 1993–94 10,627 10,800 11,000 
			 1994–95 10,308 10,600 10,800 
			 1995–96 10,967 11,300 11,600 
			 1996–97 12,421 12,900 13,300 
			 1997–98 12,805 13,400 13,800 
			 1998–99 12,896 13,500 14,100 
			 1999–2000 13,320 14,100 14,700 
			 2000–01 13,757 14,600 15,300 
			 2001–02 15,312 16,300 17,200 
			 2002–03 15,544 16,600 17,700 
			 2003–04(4) 14,792 15,900 17,000 
		
	
	(4) Figures for 2003–04 give only the estimated contribution to the pool from the local list, as no estimates of the central list receipts or contributions in lieu of rates for crown properties are available.
	Notes:
	The national non-domestic rate (NNDR) yield is the sum of the contributions to the pool from local lists, plus central list receipts, and contributions in lieu of rates for crown properties.
	Estimated yields from increasing the NNDR multiplier by more than RPI were calculated by applying the increased multiplier to the sum of the rateable values. The patterns of relief, costs of collection and amounts carried over were assumed to be the same.

Planning

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will monitor the practice of developers seeking planning permission to pull down houses in order to open up access to land that was previously undevelopable.

Keith Hill: A specific planning application to demolish a house is generally not required. This is because planning permission to carry out demolition is granted by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995. However, where access to land has been opened up by the demolition of buildings, a planning application is likely to be required to develop that land; for example, for housing. Planning applications must be determined on their merits in accordance with relevant policies in the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. It would be impractical to monitor planning applications that arise in such circumstances, and there are no plans to do so.

Planning

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average length of time taken to obtain planning permission was in (a) 2003 and (b) 1997.

Keith Hill: The information available is the percentages of applications for planning permission and related consents which are decided within eight weeks; between eight and 13 weeks; and in more than 13 weeks.
	For almost all applications, information on individual applications is not held centrally, so it is not possible to calculate an average time from receipt to decision.

Planning

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many district planning authorities' planning decisions there were in each year since 1979;
	(2)  how many district planning authorities' planning applications were received in each year since 1979;
	(3)  how many district planning authorities' planning applications were granted in each year since 1979;
	(4)  how many and what percentage of district planning authorities' decisions were granted within (a) eight and (b) 13 weeks in each year since 1979.

Keith Hill: The available information is tabled as follows. Statistics on the speed of decision do not distinguish between decisions granted or refused. Figures for the years before 1986–87 are on a different basis from later years; they exclude advertisements, listed building consents and conservation area consents.
	
		Planning decisions by district planning authorities1,2 by speed of decision: England 1979–80 to 2002–03 -- Thousand/per cent.
		
			Applications granted  Percentage of total decisions(7) 
			 Financial year Applications received All decisions Thousand Percentage(8) Number decided within 8 weeks 8 weeks 13 weeks 
		
		
			 1979–80 582 513 446 86 312 60 86 
			 1980–81 546 489 421 85 319 65 88 
			 1981–82(9) 372 404 349 86 266 65 88 
			 1982–83 411 380 334 87 268 70 93 
			 1983–84 430 402 354 87 278 69 90 
			 1984–85 421 397 345 86 276 69 90 
			 1985–86 432 401 344 85 270 67 89 
			 1986–87(9) 536 487 401 84 305 63 87 
			 1987–88 598 542 446 84 310 57 84 
			 1988–89 681 618 497 82 318 51 80 
			 1989–90 627 597 465 80 274 46 75 
			 1990–91 530 518 402 80 276 53 79 
			 1991–92 509 482 382 83 291 60 83 
			 1992–93(9) 462 439 361 85 278 63 85 
			 1993–94 479 446 374 87 290 65 86 
			 1994–95 477 451 380 88 294 65 86 
			 1995–96 456 431 363 88 280 65 86 
			 1996–97 473 437 367 88 279 64 85 
			 1997–98 505 462 388 88 286 62 84 
			 1998–99 501 466 392 88 290 62 83 
			 1999–2000 526 479 405 88 301 63 84 
			 2000–01 543 504 422 87 316 63 83 
			 2001–02 582 534 444 87 347 65 83 
			 2002–03 634 586 484 86 390 67 85 
		
	
	(5) Includes metropolitan and non-metropolitan districts, unitary authorities, London boroughs, national park authorities and, prior to April 1998, urban development corporations.
	(6) Figures exclude decisions on 'county matters' applications. Those are shown separately in the published annual Development Control Statistics, England.
	(7) The precise definitions of the time bands used are 'up to and including 56 days' and 'up to and including 91 days'.
	(8) These percentages are calculated after excluding those applications (such as determinations as to whether or not planning permission is required) which cannot be granted or refused.
	(9) Planning fees introduced on 1 April 1981. Prior to 1986–87 figures were only collected on applications decided under section 29 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1971. This excluded advertisements, listed building and conservation area consents. The present system of Lawful Development Certificates commenced on 27 July 1992.
	Source:
	Development Control Statistics, England particularly the 1989–90, 1995–96 and the 2002–03 (ODPM website edition).

Planning

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria in the planning system are used to ascertain whether an environmental impact assessment is necessary.

Keith Hill: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required for development which is likely to have significant effects on the environment by virtue of factors such as its nature, size or location. All development listed in Schedule 1 to The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 1999 is assumed to have such effects, and EIA is mandatory for such development. For development listed in Schedule 2 to the Regulations, local planning authorities have to determine whether EIA will be required. In doing so they must take account of prescribed selection criteria relating to the characteristics, location and potential impact of the development. As an aid to determining whether Schedule 2 development is likely to have significant environmental effects, indicative thresholds and criteria are included in DETR Circular 02/99 which gives guidance on the operation of the 1999 Regulations.

Planning

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether an accumulation of a large number of different planning applications in the same location necessitates an environmental impact assessment.

Keith Hill: The need for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has to be assessed for every planning application, on the basis of whether the proposed development is likely to have significant effects on the environment. The Government's published advice on multiple applications, based on existing case law, is at paragraph 46 of DETR Circular 02/99. This states that, for the purposes of determining whether EIA is required, a particular planning application should not be considered in isolation if, in reality, it is properly to be considered as an integral part of an inevitably more substantial development.

Property Consultative Group

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the remit is of the Property Consultative Group; and if he will make a statement on its planned work load for the next four years.

Keith Hill: The terms of reference of the Property Consultative Group are to:
	provide an opportunity for dialogue with the property industries about delivery of the range of policies of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) and to provide the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister with creative solutions to issue of common interest;
	initiate discussion of issues where the property industries are aware of potential improvements to Government policy and its delivery;
	secure in the public interest the industries' assistance in promoting the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's policies, and in particular their role in providing development to underpin the Sustainable Communities Plan;
	assist the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to fulfil its role as lead Government Department for the property/development industries, and in particular its specific responsibilities for policy and legislation on commercial property leases; and
	provide advice (through its working groups) on specific, detailed issues.
	The Agenda for the main Group at present comprises ad hoc issues raised by members and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. So far, we have established working groups on commercial property issues and on funding and delivery mechanisms, and they will be reporting back to the main Group within the next year.

Starter Homes Initiative

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how   (a) the Starter Homes Initiative and (b) the Abandoned Homes Initiative have benefited the residents of Heywood and Middleton.

Keith Hill: Between September 2001 and 31 March 2004, the Starter Home Initiative (SHI) helped key workers into home ownership in areas where the high cost of housing serves to undermine recruitment and retention of skilled staff in our key public services. The SHI was available in London and the South East region and in some housing hotspots in the East, South West and West Midlands regions. It was not available to key workers in the North West region.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not aware of an Abandoned Homes Initiative. However, our Market Renewal Pathfinders are a comprehensive programme to tackle low demand and abandonment in nine English areas. The Oldham and Rochdale pathfinder, which includes Middleton but not Heywood, received £53.5 million to April 2006, which will fund a large-scale programme of capital works to revive the housing market and improve the environment. The boundaries of this scheme were drawn up following an analysis of local housing markets to identify those areas most acutely affected by low demand and abandonment.

Tesco (Shrewsbury)

Paul Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will make a decision on the Tesco planning application in Shrewsbury.

Keith Hill: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister aims to make a decision as soon as possible.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Plain English Campaign

Peter Bradley: To ask the Leader of the House what representations he has received from the Plain English Campaign on the language used in parliamentary proceedings.

Chris Mole: To ask the Leader of the House what representations he has received from the Plain English Campaign on the language used in parliamentary publications.

Peter Hain: The Modernisation Committee met with the Plain English Campaign in March in the course of its inquiry into connecting Parliament with the public. I hope that the Committee will report its findings to the House before Whitsun.

Departmental Select Committees

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Leader of the House if he will make a statement on the representation of minority parties on departmental select committees.

Phil Woolas: My right hon. Friend is fully aware that   the minority parties have concerns about their representation on select committees. The Government have taken action to address this in a number of ways, by accommodating their interests in the nomination of recent Joint Committees for pre-legislative scrutiny and Standing Committees on Delegated Legislation, for example.

Parliamentary Questions

Simon Burns: To ask the Leader of the House what plans he has to bring forward proposals for changes to provisions for questions for written answer on a named day.

Phil Woolas: My right hon. Friend has no such plans at present.

TRANSPORT

Aviation

Paul Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  whether the investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority into cabin air quality considered the presence of (a) mono-ortho, (b) di-ortho and (c) other toxic isomers of tricresyl phosphate other than the ortho isomer in engine oil; and whether it considered evidence for a link between repeated low-level exposure to organophosphates and chronic neurotoxicity;
	(2)  whether the investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority into cabin air quality took evidence from (a) doctors and (b) other medical experts who have studied the cases of crews and passengers affected by   contaminated air exposure on commercial jet aircraft;
	(3)  whether unions representing cabin crew members were consulted during the preparation of the recently published Civil Aviation Authority Report on cabin air quality.

Tony McNulty: The investigation carried out by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) into cabin air quality focused only on substances found in air conditioning ducts of a certain type of aircraft. The study was commissioned to investigate the safety implications arising from potential incapacitation in flight crew as a result of contaminated cabin air. As such the CAA did not consider the presence of other substances and effects on low-level exposure. This was a specific piece of scientific research; therefore it was not appropriate for the CAA to seek views, either from medical experts or other stakeholders. The Aviation Health Unit is currently considering the extent to which further research should be commissioned into the presence in the cabin air of organophosphates and their effect on passengers and crew.

Bicycle Journeys

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many journeys were made by bicycle in each of the last 10 years.

Tony McNulty: Figures for Great Britain from the National Travel Survey are as follows:
	
		
			  Number of bicycle stages (billion) 
		
		
			 1993 1.0 
			 1994 1.0 
			 1995 1.0 
			 1996 0.9 
			 1997 1.0 
			 1998 0.9 
			 1999 1.0 
			 2000 0.9 
			 2001 0.8 
			 2002 0.9 
		
	
	Figures for 2003 are not yet available. Figures for single years are volatile because of the relatively small sample sizes. Cycling patterns over individual years are also dependent on the weather.

Departmental Vehicles

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of his departmental vehicles run on (a) fuel cells, (b) liquefied petroleum gas, (c) petrol, (d) diesel, (e) hybrid fuel and (f) other fuel.

David Jamieson: The Government as a whole have signed up to various targets for improving the performance of their own vehicle fleet, details of which, together with reports on each Department's progress towards these targets, is available at: www.sustainable-development.gov.uk
	The Department for Transport is one of 15 Government Departments which owns or leases alternatively fuelled vehicles. In 2003, 9 per cent. of all Government fleet vehicles (excluding those from the Ministry of Defence) were alternatively fuelled.
	The Department for Transport Headquarters has very few departmental vehicles. The Government Car Service (GCS) provides our ministerial cars, one of which is a petrol-electric hybrid vehicle and one of which runs on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Of the GCS's total ministerial car fleet, 13 per cent. are alternatively fuelled, the majority of which are LPG vehicles.
	Over 1,000 vehicles are currently used by the Department for Transport's various agencies, including a number of specialist vehicles. Precise information is not readily available on the fuels used by all these vehicles, but in 2003, approximately 11 per cent. of the vehicles for which this information was available were LPG vehicles.

European Rail Directives

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what cost assessment has been carried out by his Department of the implementation of the European Rail Directives package proposed by the EU Commission; and what consultations he has had with (a) the rail industry, (b) the trade unions in the rail sector and (c) elected representatives on their implementation.

Alistair Darling: An initial assessment of the financial implications of the EC Third Railways Package was included with the Explanatory Memorandum submitted to Parliament on 30 March 2004. This assessment concluded that implementation of certain aspects of the package as proposed by the European Commission could have significant adverse financial implications for sections of the UK rail industry.
	My Department has had a number of discussions with rail industry parties about this package both before, and after, its publication. In particular, around 30 industry and user representatives attended a seminar held on 2 April. These discussions are continuing. A formal consultation document is being prepared. Comments will be sought from a wide range of parties including trade unions in the rail sector.
	The Government's negotiating position on this package is subject to scrutiny clearance by both Houses. The Scrutiny Committees are currently considering theDepartment's Explanatory Memorandum. The Department has not received any other representations from elected members on this package.

M62 Widening

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his plans for widening the M62 between junctions 25 and 32 in West Yorkshire; what the planned timetable is for the work; and what the estimated total cost is.

David Jamieson: In July 2003 the Secretary of State asked the Highways Agency to examine new ways of delivering additional capacity on suitable sections of the motorway network in South and West Yorkshire, which includes the M62. Their study is under way and is due to report to the Secretary of State in autumn 2004 with detailed proposals for levels of provision, timetables for delivery and estimated costs.

M62 Widening

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what alternatives to carriageway widening schemes are being considered to address congestion on the M62 in West Yorkshire.

David Jamieson: In July 2003 the Secretary of State asked the Highways Agency to examine new ways of delivering additional capacity on suitable sections of the motorway network in South and West Yorkshire, including the M62. They are currently looking at a wide range of alternatives to widening. These include:
	Use of narrower lanes
	Use of the hard shoulder to provide an extra running lane
	Provision of Emergency Refuges
	Controlled access to the motorway
	Better information for travellers.
	The agency is due to report to the Secretary of State with the results of the study in autumn 2004.

National Rail Enquiries

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the quality of service given by the National Rail Enquiries Service (a) before and (b) after part of the service was outsourced overseas;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the decision of train operating companies to off-shore part of the National Rail Enquiries Service.

Tony McNulty: The contracting of call centre suppliers to operate the National Rail Enquiry Service is a matter for National Rail Enquiry Services Ltd.

National Rail Enquiries

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  whether he has held talks with the Strategic Rail Authority about the relocation of the National Rail Enquiry Bureau to India; how many jobs have been lost in the United Kingdom as a result; what the cost has been to the taxpayer of any benefits or grants to staff made redundant from the Bureau; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what calculations have been made of the sum of money to be returned to his Department by the train operating companies following the relocation of the National Train Enquiry Bureau to India.

Kim Howells: The Government do not make subsidy payments to National Rail Enquiry Service Ltd., the company which contracts with call centre suppliers to operate the NRES service. NRES have said that any cost savings would be ploughed back into improving passenger services. With the flexibility of the call centre industry, the Government hope that any redundancies brought about by the recent contract changes would be kept to a minimum. I have held no talks with the Strategic Rail Authority about this matter.

Offshore Wind Farms

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has been asked to fund navigational aids to prevent vessels colliding with wind turbines.

Alistair Darling: The costs of providing aids to navigation to prevent vessels colliding with offshore installations are to be met by the developers. The General Lighthouse Authorities set the standard for such marking and will monitor its provision. Developers may also expect to meet the reasonable costs of altering existing aids to navigation if required as a result of their installations.

Rail Services Review

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the Treasury's review of rail services to be complete; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Darling: The current review of the railway industry being undertaken by the Department for Transport will publish its conclusions in the summer.

Railways

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the cost per mile of railway line maintenance for each contractor.

Tony McNulty: This is an operational matter for Network Rail. However, Network Rail advises that expenditure on the maintenance of any mile of track will depend on the type of track, its age, and the underlying ground conditions, the types of trains that that run on the route, their speed and frequency.

Railways

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the subsidy to train operators is used to finance the leasing of rolling stock.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 26 April 2004
	Franchise agreements with train operating companies specify franchise payments, whether subsidy or premium, but do not break the figures down into individual components such as rolling stock costs.

Railways

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the average payment is per year to lease a unit of rolling stock;
	(2)  what the average cost is of a unit of rolling stock.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 26 April 2004
	Rolling stock building and leasing costs vary widely. A two car Pacer, for example, will have cost about £500,000 to build at present prices and is likely to cost an operator in the region of £50,000 per year to lease. A more modern two car train, such as a Class 170, would command an annual rent of around £170,000 per year, reflecting substantially higher build costs.

Shipping (Security)

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the Government will meet the compliance deadline of 1 July for implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code; what steps his Department is taking to meet this deadline; how many UK ships and ports have reached the required standard to date; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Department for Transport's Transport Security Directorate (TRANSEC) has the policy lead and is responsible for introducing the ISPS Code requirements to approximately 600 UK port facilities and over 600 UK flagged ships by the deadline of the 1 July 2004. Operationally TRANSEC is responsible for UK ports and passenger shipping, and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has been delegated responsibility for non-passenger shipping, under a policy framework set by TRANSEC.
	The UK has made excellent progress towards implementation and there is every expectation that all UK flagged ships and port facilities that submit acceptable security plans by the deadlines set by TRANSEC and MCA, will be ISPS compliant by the 1 July deadline.
	TRANSEC have carried out port facility security assessments at facilities which fall within the scope of the Code and have categorised them by traffic type. Both TRANSEC and MCA have issued security instructions and standards for different categories of port and ship facilities, and have provided port and ship security plan   templates to assist industry with the preparation of their security plans. Liaison with the port and shipping industries has played a fundamental part in developing effective and proportionate policies and this communication is on-going.
	It is not our policy to comment in detail on security measures. Therefore, I cannot set out in detail the number of ships or port facilities that already have approved Security Plans. However, all of the major UK ports including the passenger operations have been assessed and Port Facility Security Plans are currently being submitted for approval. Passenger and non-passenger ship security plans are currently being submitted to TRANSEC and MCA for approval and verification visits are being undertaken by inspectors toensure that the plans developed are operating effectively.

Transport Infrastructure

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of priority bus lanes have   been created in Heywood and Middleton since 1997.

Tony McNulty: Two priority bus lanes have been created in the Heywood and Middleton constituency since 1997, with a total length of 0.225 kms, on Rochdale Road, Middleton and South Parade, Rochdale.

Transport Infrastructure

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of new cycle lanes have been provided in Heywood and Middleton using public funds since 1997.

Tony McNulty: A total of 19 km of cycle lanes have been introduced on various roads in Heywood and Middleton.

Transport Infrastructure

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of new cycle lanes have been provided using public funds in Manchester, Gorton since 1997.

Alistair Darling: 1.3 km of cycle lanes on Ashton New Road have been introduced in Gorton since 1997, as well as 4 km of dedicated pathways along the Fallowfield Loop disused railway line and a further 2 km along the Ashton canal towpath.

Transport Infrastructure

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of priority bus lanes have been created in Manchester, Gorton since 1997.

Alistair Darling: An 875 m long city-bound bus lane, starting from the junction with Redgate Lane, was introduced as part of the Hyde Road/Devonshire Street junction improvement scheme, completed in May 2003. £23 million has also been awarded for a Quality Bus Corridor along the A57 from Hyde to Manchester.

Transport Infrastructure

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of new cycle lanes have been provided using public funds in Stalybridge and Hyde since 1997.

Tony McNulty: A 2.5 km section of the Transpennine Trail, which provides facilities for cyclists and other users, has been created in Stalybridge and Hyde since 1997. A number of footpaths throughout Stalybridge and Hyde have also been upgraded to bridleways thus providing additional cycle facilities.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Court Administrative Boundaries

Jim Knight: What plans there are to align court administrative boundaries with Government Office regional boundaries.

Christopher Leslie: With the introduction of the new unified courts agency, court administrative boundaries will be aligned with the Government Office boundaries and   Wales, with two exceptions: Cheshire, and the Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. We will re-examine these arrangements as part of a post-implementation review in the financial year 2006–07.

Judiciary

Keith Vaz: What plans the Lord Chancellor has to ensure greater diversity in the judiciary.

Christopher Leslie: The new, independent Judicial Appointments Commission will inspire a more diverse range of applicants through a more open, transparent and accessible system. The Department is also examining whether other barriers exist to deter applicants from   minority groups, while continuing to run its comprehensive outreach programme.

Queen's Counsel

Vincent Cable: When the Lord Chancellor intends to present proposals to continue or replace the system of Queen's Counsel.

Christopher Leslie: We hope to make an announcement soon.

Social Security Commissioners (Welsh Language)

Elfyn Llwyd: What action the Secretary of State takes to ensure that an appellant who is resident in Wales is able to conduct his case before the Social Security Commissioners through the medium of the Welsh language wherever that tribunal sits.

David Lammy: All cases from Wales received by the Social Security Commissioners are processed by Commissioners who are familiar with the Welsh language. Where appropriate bilingual directions are forwarded to the appellant giving them the opportunity to request a hearing to be conducted in the Welsh language.

Local Authority Records (Public Access)

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on access by the public to local authority records under freedom of information legislation.

David Lammy: All public authorities, are subject to the Freedom of Information Act. When access rights come into force on 1 January 2005 anybody may request information from a local authority. The applicant has the right:
	To be told whether or not the public authority holds that information; and if so,
	To have that information communicated to him or her.

Data Protection

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what data protection safeguards are available to UK citizens whose detailed private information is made available to private companies in the US.

David Lammy: The general rule established by the Data Protection Act 1998 is that, subject to exemptions, personal data may only be transferred to countries outside the European Economic Area if they provide an adequate level of data protection. Adequacy of protection is determined on a case by case basis having regard to all the circumstances. The US Department of Commerce have established a set of data protection rules (generally known as the "safe harbour") to which certain organisations receiving personal data from the EU may subscribe. The European Commission have made a formal finding that the "safe harbour" provides adequate data protection for the purposes of the EC Data Protection Directive (95/46/EC) to which the Data   Protection Act 1998 gives effect. About 450 organisations currently subscribe to the "safe harbour".

Immigration

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the legal   aid costs have been, to date, of representing (a) detainees and (b) those appealing against removal of nationality (i) before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission and (ii) in any subsequent appeals; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: The Legal Services Commission cannot provide the requested information. Bills for most of the cases before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission have yet to be submitted to the Commission.

Legal Aid

David Drew: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on the legal aid budget.

David Lammy: Legal aid expenditure for the year 2002–03 was £1,908 million in cash. Final figures for 2003–04 are not currently available; however, legal aid expenditure is expected to be £2,084 million in cash, and £1,819 million in resource. From 2003–04 legal aid is accounted for in both cash and resource terms, but no equivalent figure for resource is available for 2002–03.

Legal Aid

Bob Spink: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs on how many occasions legal aid has been withdrawn because of fraudulent applications in each of the last three years.

David Lammy: It is difficult to classify particular applications as deliberately fraudulent. The Commission has powers to investigate where doubts arise about whether a funded client is financially eligible for civil legal aid. Opponents or third parties can make representations about the merits of the case, the means of the applicant or both (mixed representations). Figures are provided in the table showing outcomes for these categories in each of the last three financial years for which it has finalised data:
	
		
			  Total representations closed out Cases where investigation led to refusal/withdrawal/amendment to certificate 
		
		
			 2000–01   
			 Means 2,871 1,010 
			 Mixed 416 128 
			
			 2001–02   
			 Means 2,282 716 
			 Mixed 306 80 
			
			 2002–03   
			 Means 1,984 676 
			 Mixed 214 70 
		
	
	The Commission's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) deals with means assessments for individual applicants for legal aid which are difficult or contentious including cases of misrepresentation by applicants for publicly funded legal services. Figures on the number of cases in each year where investigation resulted in the refusal or withdrawal of funding or an increase in the contributions payable are set out as follows:
	2000–01—319
	2001–02—128
	2002–03—152
	For criminal legal aid, means assessment was used prior to 2001–02. The Court Service referred cases to the Commission's SIU where applicants had complex financial affairs. In 2000–01 98 investigation into criminal cases were concluded, following 181 referrals from the Court Service. 95 per cent. of investigations in criminal cases led to the refusal or withdrawal of funding. 47 investigations were concluded in 2001–02 relating to applications for criminal legal aid made prior   to April 2001. In 85 per cent. of these cases, investigations resulted in a change to the decision regarding funding.

Legal Services Commission

David Drew: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs when he will make an evaluation of the performance of the Legal Services Commission with specific reference to the provision of franchise arrangements with agencies providing legal advice.

David Lammy: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) has reported regularly to my Department on measures they have taken to improve quality in publicly funded legal services since it replaced the Legal Aid Board in April 2000.
	The Specialist Quality Mark replaced franchise arrangements in April 2002 and became a requirement for all organisations wanting to provide specialist legal services within the Criminal Legal Service (CLS) and Criminal Defence Service (CDS). The Quality Mark is a set of quality assurance standards for legal information, general advice and specialist legal services.
	The LSC is aware that some of the requirements of the Quality Mark are viewed by suppliers as overly bureaucratic. In response, a revised audit process was introduced in April 2003 that will mean that the Commission can undertake less exhaustive, less frequent audits for the best performing solicitors' firms and advice agencies. The LSC is consulting on further measures to ease the burden on firms and will continue to work with the profession to improve the position.

Members of Parliament

Andrew George: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what plans the Department has to review the number of hon. Members elected to the House.

Christopher Leslie: The independent Parliamentary Boundary commissions of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are required by the Parliamentary Constitution Act 1986 to undertake periodic General Reviews every eight to 12 years of the number, boundaries and names of parliamentary constituencies. A review is currently under way.

Special Immigration Appeals Commission Hearings

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will place in the Library the public parts of the transcripts of Special Immigration Appeals Commission hearings relating to appeals against detention under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: The transcripts from the open sessions of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission still contain sensitive material relating to the appellants' details. It would therefore be inappropriate to release this information into the public domain pursuant to Rule 39(5)(h) of The Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Procedure) Rules 2003.

Supreme Court

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what recent representations the Lord Chancellor has received on the location of the Supreme Court.

Christopher Leslie: We have received a number of comments on the location of the Supreme Court, both during and after consultation. Only a small proportion of these have related to specific buildings or locations.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Freeview Digital Television

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of the population of (a) Newtownabbey, (b) Carrickfergus and (c) Larne are able to receive Freeview digital television services.

Estelle Morris: According to BBC Freeview prediction figures, access to Freeview in Newtonabbey is approximately 10 per cent., Carrickfergus, around 80 per cent. and in Larne, very little, if any coverage is currently predicted.
	For mainly technical reasons, it will not be possible to   significantly increase digital terrestrial television coverage prior to digital switchover. However, the Government are committed to ensuring that everyone who can currently receive the main public service broadcasting channels in analogue form will receive them on digital systems at switchover.

2012 Olympics

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with (a) hon. Members and (b) political parties from Northern Ireland in relation to promoting Northern Ireland for games events for the 2012 London Olympic bid.

Richard Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has discussed the London 2012 bid with her ministerial colleagues from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland at the Sports Cabinet meetings on 23 October 2003 and 20 April 2004.
	A Parliamentary All Party Olympics Group which included political parties in Northern Ireland was also formed and had its first meeting on 30 June 2003. London 2012 are responsible for selecting the venues for the bid and have announced that Windsor Park will host preliminary games of the football competition. They will also work to maximise the benefits for the whole of the UK through the Nations and Regions Group.

Gaming Industry

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the likely impact of the draft Gambling Bill on the gaming industry.

Richard Caborn: The Government published their assessment of the impact of the draft Gambling Bill on the casino market on 5 February 2004, and on the bingo market on 8 April 2004.
	The Joint Committee, which examined our draft Bill, made a number of recommendations for the casino and bingo markets and these are being considered.

Kinetika Arts Link International

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding was made available by her Department and its agencies to Kinetika Arts Link International and associated companies for each of the last five years broken down by project; what the intended outcome of each project was; what the agreed assessment criteria for each project were; and what the outcome of each project was.

Estelle Morris: holding answer 26 April 2004
	The information is as follows:
	Direct and Indirect Awards to Kinetika Arts Link International
	Arts Council England (ACE) is the national development agency for the arts in England. It is responsible for distributing public money from DCMS and the National Lottery to artists and art organisations. ACE received £336.8 million from DCMS in 2003–04 and this will increase to £410.4 million by 2005–06.
	Following is the full list of awards Kinetika received either directly or indirectly since April 1999. Kinetika is also coming on stream as a Regularly Funded Organisation of ACE in 2004–05 and will receive £15,000 in the first year, increasing to £30,000 in 2005–06.
	
		
			  Date awarded   Award recipient   Funding strand   Purpose of grant/intended outcome   Outcomes Amount approved (£) 
		
		
			 2001 Kinetika Strategic relations development funds To carry out research in Salvador Carnival in Brazil Performances in South London schools, Thames Festival and Netting Hill Carnival 550 
			   
			 2001 Isle of Wight Council Regional Arts Lottery Programme Community Arts and Carnival Project Six professional artists, organised through Kinetika, worked in Ryde over a three month period with community groups, schools youth clubs and Isle of Wight artists to develop skills 22,000 
			 2002 Isle of Wight Council Regional Arts Lottery Programme Carnival Arts Development Kinetika, Ryde High School and the Adult and Community Learning services worked in partnership to pursue the wider development of carnival across the island over two carnival seasons 59,100 
			   
			 2002 Canterbury Festival Regional Arts Lottery Programme 2 Canterbury Festival Street Publicity and Profile The award financed the finale of Kinetika's Yemanja project, in partnership with Strange Cargo. Yemanja combines elements from three carnival traditions (UK, Trinidad, Salvador, Brazil) and includes a performance that includes large visuals/characters (puppets/costumes/ float), live music., choreography, text and ritual 29,754 
			   
			 2002 Kinetika National Touring Programme Tour of Yemanja Yemanja toured major festivals in England including the Ryde Carnival on the Isle of Wight, the Thames Festival and the Canterbury Festival 47,900 
			   
			 2003 Kinetika National Touring Programme Tour of Bollywood Carnival (Din Shuru—Daybreak) The tour enabled a wider audience to enjoy the Bollywood Carnivals at Carnivals across England including the Leicester Belgrave Mela and the Thames Festival 48,000 
			   
			 2003 Canterbury Festival Grants for the Arts- Organisations Din Shuru: An Indian Carnival Kinetika worked with a number of contributors including the Vayu Naidu Company to undertake the Din Shuru project, tracing the impact of the Indian population in shaping Carnival on this island of Trinidad 63,544 
			   
			 2003 Kinetika Regional Arts Lottery Programme For organisational development to develop a strategic five year artistic plan, including a review of activities to date, exploration of partnership working opportunities, development of a marketing strategy and new promotional material. Project due to complete October 2004 29,400 
			   
			 2003 Kinetika Regional Arts Lottery Programme To purchase a pool of multimedia equipment including a digital camera, a camcorder, office based and portable video editing facilities (hardware and software), a projector and screen. Equipment purchased, total value of grant = £10,023 11,137 
			   
			 2004 Kinetika Grants for the Arts Towards the costs of a feasibility exercise to review the potential of touring 'Din Shuru—A Bollywood Carnival' to regional Melas, Festivals and Diwali events in 2004. Project due to complete August2004 5,000 
			   
			 2004 Kinetika Grants for the Arts Towards the development of young people's involvement in Carnival Arts in London Project due to complete March 2005 66,500

New Opportunities Fund

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money from the New Opportunities Fund was allocated to Heywood and Middleton in each year since 1997.

Estelle Morris: The New Opportunities Fund began making grants in 1999. The awards to Heywood and Middleton are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Financial year Amount (£) 
		
		
			 1999–2000 28,908 
			 2000–01 114,626 
			 2001–02 177,650 
			 2002–03 985,250 
			 2003–04 1,303,133 
		
	
	The information is freely available from the Department's searchable Lottery award database at www.lottery.culture.gsi.gov.uk, which uses information supplied by the Lottery distributors.

New Opportunities Fund

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money from the New Opportunities Fund was allocated to Stalybridge and Hyde in each year since 1997.

Estelle Morris: The New Opportunities Fund began making grants in 1999. The awards to Stalybridge and Hyde are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Financial year Amount (£) 
		
		
			 2000–01 50,000 
			 2001–02 5,500 
			 2002–03 1,860,007 
			 2003–04 139,689 
		
	
	The information is freely available from the Department's searchable Lottery award database at www.lottery.culture.gsi.gov.uk, which uses information supplied by the Lottery distributors.

Regional Development Agencies (Tourism)

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the work of regional development agencies in developing tourism in Burnley.

Richard Caborn: The North West Development Agency (NWDA) is working closely with Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board, the nominated Destination Management Organisation (DMO), for Lancashire. The new DMOs are, in effect, smaller versions of tourist boards. They aim to ensure a strong visitor and market focus to all that is done within the region and strengthen the connection between businesses and other organisations in the tourism sector.
	During 2003–04 the Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board received £275,000 from the agency's tourism budget for a variety of tourism marketing and development projects.

Regional Development Agencies (Tourism)

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the work of regional development agencies in developing tourism in Preston.

Richard Caborn: The North West Development Agency (NWDA) is working closely with Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board, the nominated Destination Management Organisation (DMO), for Lancashire. The new DMOs are, in effect, smaller versions of tourist boards. They aim to ensure a strong visitor and market focus to all that is done within the region and strengthen the connection between businesses and other organisations in the tourism sector.
	During 2003–04 the Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board received £275,000 from the agency's tourism budget for a variety of tourism marketing and development projects. Of this figure £50,000 was targeted towards a marketing campaign for the National Football Museum in Preston.

Regional Development Agencies (Tourism)

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the work of regional development agencies in developing tourism in Heywood and Middleton.

Richard Caborn: The North West Development Agency (NWDA) is working closely with Marketing Manchester, the nominated Destination Management Organisation (DMO) for Manchester. The new DMOs are, in effect, smaller versions of tourist boards. They aim to ensure a strong visitor and market focus to all that is done within the region and strengthen the connection between businesses and other organisations in the tourism sector.
	During 2003–04 Marketing Manchester received £695,000 from the NWDA's Marketing Image Budget for tourism and investment campaigns to promote Manchester. £203,000 was also provided from the agency's tourism budget for a variety of tourism development projects.

Tourism

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the tourism industry's balance of trade was in each year since 1992.

Richard Caborn: The table shows the UK tourism industry's balance of trade from 1992 to 2003.
	
		Balance of payments for UK tourism -- £ million
		
			  Expenditure by overseas residents in the UK Expenditure by UK residents overseas Balance of payments deficit 
		
		
			 1992 7,891 11,243 3,352 
			 1993 9,487 12,972 3,485 
			 1994 9,786 14,365 4,579 
			 1995 11,763 15,386 3,623 
			 1996 12,290 16,223 3,933 
			 1997 12,244 16,931 4,687 
			 1998 12,671 19,489 6,818 
			 1999 12,498 22,020 9,522 
			 2000 12,805 24,251 11,446 
			 2001 11,306 25,332 14,026 
			 2002 11,737 26,962 15,225 
			 2003(10) 11,902 28,940 17,038 
		
	
	(10) Figures for 2003 are provisional estimates.
	Source:
	International Passenger Survey

Tourism

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what contribution the tourism industry made to gross domestic product in (a) absolute terms and (b) as a percentage in each year since 1992;
	(2)  what the annual growth rate of the UK tourism industry was in each year since 1992.

Richard Caborn: Consistent estimates of the gross domestic product (GDP) of the tourism industry are only available since 1998 1 . The table shows (a) the GDP, (b) the percentage of total UK GDP, and (c) the growth rate in each year.
	1  Data prior to 1998 are not comparable due to changes in surveys of domestic tourists.
	
		Tourism industry GDP, contribution to the economy and growth rate
		
			  Estimated tourism GDP 
			  (a) Absolute terms (£ billion) (b) Contribution to UK economy (percentage) (c) Growth rate (percentage change on previous year) 
		
		
			 1998 42.0 4.9 n/a 
			 1999 44.0 4.9 4.8 
			 2000 45.0 4.7 2.3 
			 2001 443 4.5 -1.6 
			 2002 45.4 4.4 2.5

Tourism

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people were employed directly in the UK tourism industry in each year since 1992.

Richard Caborn: Employment estimates for the tourism industry are only available for Great Britain rather than for the UK. These are shown in the table.
	
		Employment in the tourism related industries(11)in Great Britain
		
			  Number of jobs(12) in Great Britain(13)(million) 
		
		
			 1992 1.86 
			 1993 1.81 
			 1994 1.82 
			 1995 1.93 
			 1996 1.92 
			 1997 1.98 
			 1998 1.99 
			 1999 2.07 
			 2000 2.14 
			 2001 2.16 
			 2002 2.18 
			 2003 2.17 
		
	
	(11) The tourism-related industries are comprised of hospitality, travel agencies, tour operators, and cultural, recreation and sporting activities.
	(12) Includes both employees and the self-employed. All figures are as at June in the relevant year.
	(13) Figures given for self-employment in the tourism industry are derived from the Labour Force Survey. The results of this survey are due to be revised shortly.
	Source:
	DCMS analysis of National Statistics Sources

Tourism

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many overseas visitors came to the UK in each year since 1992.

Richard Caborn: The table shows the number of visits by overseas residents to the United Kingdom from 1992 to 2003.
	
		Visits by overseas residents to the UK
		
			  Number (million) 
		
		
			 1992 18.5 
			 1993 19.9 
			 1994 20.8 
			 1995 23.5 
			 1996 25.2 
			 1997 25.5 
			 1998 25.7 
			 1999 25.4 
			 2000 25.2 
			 2001 22.8 
			 2002 24.2 
			 2003(14) 24.8 
		
	
	(14) Figure for 2003 is a provisional estimate.
	Source:
	International Passenger Survey.

Tourism

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will publish her Department's Prospectus for Tourism; and when it was first announced that a provisional timescale for the publication of the Prospectus for Tourism had been set.

Richard Caborn: The Prospectus will be published in the summer. The first round of consultation last year produced a number of valuable contributions. A new draft, reflecting these, is expected to be sent out for final   consultation in May. This process reflects the importance of the Prospectus as a statement of actions and responsibilities, agreed by all the major players in tourism in the public and private sectors.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State agreed with industry leaders that a new framework document for tourism should be produced, at the third Hartwell seminar in February 2003. This was to follow the Government's major reforms of April 2003, which created VisitBritain and passed strategic responsibility for tourism in the English regions to the Regional Development Agencies. I outlined the likely timescale for publication to the All Party Parliamentary Group on   Tourism on 5 November 2003. At that time, I anticipated the publication of the Prospectus in early 2004.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Maternity Leave Discrimination

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister for Women 
	(1)  if she will make a statement on the extent of discrimination against women in the workplace who have returned to work after maternity leave; and if she will estimate how many women have been dismissed in each of the last five years on their return from maternity leave;
	(2)  what action she plans to take to penalise companies which discriminate against women returning from maternity leave.

Patricia Hewitt: Women are protected under legislation from discrimination, detriment and dismissal for reasons related to pregnancy or maternity leave. Employers who discriminate against women returning from maternity leave are breaking the law and could be liable to pay compensation. They are harming their own businesses by excluding talented women from the workforce.
	Unfortunately there are still cases where women are discriminated against. The following table sets out the outcome of applications made to employment tribunals by women who believe they have been unfairly dismissed on grounds of pregnancy maternity or childbirth and women who believe they have been prevented from returning to work following maternity leave.
	The Government welcome any new research in this area and looks forward to the results of the Equal Opportunities Commission's Formal Investigation into pregnancy discrimination.
	
		Outcome of applications to employment tribunals 1998–99 to 2002–03. Unfair dismissal on grounds of pregnancy, maternity or childbirth
		
			  Acas conciliated settlement Withdrawn or private settlement Successful at tribunal Dismissed at hearing (other reasons) Dismissed at hearing (out of scope) Disposed of otherwise Total disposed in period 
		
		
			 2002–03 369 133 82 73 11 30 698 
			 2001–02 401 165 64 88 9 19 746 
			 2000–01 402 130 91 105 14 17 759 
			 1999–2000 498 197 92 148 16 10 961 
			 1998–99 524 208 125 170 19 25 1,071 
		
	
	
		Failure to allow a return to work following maternity leave
		
			  Acas conciliated settlement Withdrawn or private settlement Successful at tribunal Dismissed at hearing (other reasons) Dismissed at hearing (out of scope) Disposed of otherwise Total disposed in period 
		
		
			 2002–03 44 21 7 7 1 0 80 
			 2001–02 52 29 8 7 2 3 101 
			 2000–01 57 16 9 13 1 3 99 
			 1999–2000 64 32 13 15 2 1 127 
			 1998–99 51 27 10 17 2 5 112 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures provided by Employment Tribunals Service.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Fair Trade Tea and Coffee

Norman Baker: To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee whether the (a) tea and (b) coffee available from dispensers in food outlets in the House is of a Fair Trade origin.

Dennis Turner: The Refreshment Department was one of the first organisations to support the Fairtrade movement and has done so for many years. All fresh coffee served by the Department is made from beans approved by the Fairtrade organisation, and fairly traded "Clipper" teas are stocked. In February 2004 the Refreshment Department installed new triple brew vending machines in various locations throughout the Parliamentary Estate. The fresh coffee dispensed by these new machines is fairly traded.

GM Food

Norman Baker: To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee what the Committee's policy is on the purchase of GM food.

Dennis Turner: The Refreshment Department remains aware of consumer concern about the presence of GMOs in food and in response to this concern continues to pursue a policy of avoiding, wherever identifiable, the procurement of foods that contain genetically modified organisms. The Refreshment Department will be in contact with its food suppliers once the consultation exercise on the GMO Traceability and Labelling Regulations has been concluded and guidance has been finalised.

Organic Food

Norman Baker: To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee what steps he is taking to promote the consumption of organic food in House outlets.

Dennis Turner: The Refreshment Department is a member of the Soil Association and recognises the   significant demand for organic produce. The Department pursues a policy of purchasing organic produce or ingredients wherever consistent availability and quality can be guaranteed by suppliers, and where it is judged that the price to be passed on to the Department's customers is affordable.
	The Refreshment Department sells a range of organic foods; the Terrace and 'Debate' cafeterias offer an extensive range of organic yoghurts, sandwiches, muffins, biscuits and drinks. All the coffee served in Portcullis House is organically grown and fairly traded. From time to time, promotions are run to promote organic awareness, sometimes in conjunction with regional promotions.

Parliamentary Passes

Jim Dowd: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if she will list all the classes of pass to the Parliamentary estate, describe each category covered and give the number of each that are currently valid.

Marion Roe: The classes and descriptions of pass categories are set out in the table. This information is already in the public domain. However, for security reasons I am sure the hon. Gentleman will understand, I am not prepared to give the numbers of passes in each category.
	
		
			 Class Description 
		
		
			 M Member of Parliament 
			 MEP Member of European Parliament 
			 P Peer 
			 X Former Member of Parliament 
			 XP Non Sitting Hereditary Peer 
			 RO Retired Officer (both Houses) 
			 1 Officers of Commons 
			 1A Specialist Adviser 
			 2 Speaker's Office 
			 3 Clerk of House Department 
			 3A (Temp) Clerk of House Department 
			 4 Serjeant at Arms Department 
			 4A (Temp) Serjeant at Arms Department 
			 5 Commons Library 
			 5A (Temp) Commons Library 
			 6 Commons Hansard 
			 6A (Temp) Commons Hansard 
			 7 Finance and Administration 
			 7A (Temp) Finance and Administration 
			 8 Commons Refreshment 
			 8A (Temp) Commons Refreshment 
			 9A Members' Secretary 
			 9B Members' Research Assistant 
			 9C (Temp) Members' Secretary 
			 9D (Temp) Members' Research Assistant 
			 9E (Temp) Members' Chauffeur 
			 9G (Temp) Overseas Research Assistant 
			 10 Spouses/Partners 
			 11 Overseas Visitors 
			 12 Officers of House of Lords 
			 12A (Temp) Specialist Advisers (HoL) 
			 13 Lords Staff 
			 13A (Temp) Lords Staff 
			 14 Lord Chancellor's Dept 
			 14A (Temp) Lord Chancellor's Dept 
			 15A Peers' Secretary 
			 15B Peers' Research Assistant 
			 15C (Temp) Peers' Secretary 
			 15D (Temp) Peers' Research Assistant 
			 15E (Temp) Peers' Chauffeur 
			 16 IPU, CPA 
			 16A (Temp) IPU, CPA 
			 17 (Temp) Government Departmental Staff 
			 17A (Temp) Government Despatch Service 
			 17B (Temp) Government Press Officers 
			 17C (Temp) Foreign and Commonwealth Office Escort Officers 
			 18 (Temp) Government Messengers 
			 19 Parliamentary Works Services Directorate Specialist Contractors 
			 20 Security Force 
			 20A (Temp) Security Force 
			 21 Post Office 
			 21A (Temp) Post Office 
			 22 Parliamentary Communications Directorate Contractors (Telephonists) 
			 22A (Temp) Parliamentary Communications Directorate Contractors 
			 23 Parliamentary Counsel/Agents 
			 23A (Temp) Parliamentary Counsel/Agents 
			 24 Various Support Services 
			 24A (Temp) Various Support Services 
			 25 (Temp) Conservative Central Office/PLP etc 
			 26 (Temp) Parliamentary Works Services Directorate Contractor 
			 26A (Temp) Parliamentary Works Services Directorate Contractor 
			 26B (Temp) Parliamentary Works Services Directorate Contractor 
			 26C (Temp) Parliamentary Works Services Directorate Contractor 
			 26D (Temp) Parliamentary Works Services Directorate Contractor 
			 26E (Temp) Parliamentary Works Services Directorate Contractor 
			 27 (Temp) Non Parliamentary Works Services Directorate Contractor 
			 28 Commons Press 
			 28A Commons Press Gallery/Lobby 
			 28B Commons Press Gallery 
			 28C (Temp) Commons Press Sound Box 
			 26D (Temp) Commons Overseas Press 
			 28E (Temp) Commons Press Premises 
			 29A Lords Press Gallery 
			 29B Lords Lobby and Press Gallery 
			 30 (Temp) Specially Authorised Holders 
			 32 Whips' Offices (both Houses) 
			 33 Stationery Office 
			 33a (Temp) Stationery Office 
			 34 Gymnasium 
			 35 Parliamentary Broadcasting 
			 35a (Temp) Parliamentary Broadcasting 
			 36 (Temp) Commons Media Positions 
			 V (Temp) Delivery Drivers 
			 TG (Temp) Tour Guides 
		
	
	Note:
	The Lord Chancellor's Department passes are being changed to Category 17 on renewal.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Company Accounts

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the number of public limited companies which failed to disclose details of their payment records in annual accounts as required by company law in the last year for which figures are available; and what steps she is taking to tackle this.

Gerry Sutcliffe: This information is not collated centrally and, as there are over 12,000 public limited companies, it could be gathered only at disproportionate cost.
	Where Companies House receives a complaint that a public company has not disclosed its policy and practice as required by the Companies Act 1985, then it will take enforcement action.

Consumer Codes Approval Scheme

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what steps the Office of Fair Trading have taken to inform consumers of the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme; how much the scheme has cost; and how much of the costs have been spent on advertising and information campaigns;
	(2)  which organisations the Office of Fair Trading has granted Stage One approval to in the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme; and from which organisations Stage 1 approval was withheld;
	(3)  what evidence the (a) Ombudsman for Estate Agents, (b) Direct Selling Association, (c) Association of British Travel Agents and (d) Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association supplied in support of their application to the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme; and if she will make a statement on the Stage 2 award to each organisation;
	(4)  what proportion of their respective industries the membership of the (a) Ombudsman for Estate Agents, (b) Direct Selling Association, (c) Association of British Travel Agents and (d) Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association represent; and what assessment she made of these proportions before granting Consumer Codes Approval Scheme Stage 2 approval.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Office of Fair Trading is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme. I will ask the Chairman to write to the hon. Member.

Employment Rights

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many residents of Heywood and Middleton qualify for paid leave entitlements.

Gerry Sutcliffe: All workers resident in Heywood and Middleton qualify for paid annual leave entitlements; at least four weeks as set out in the Working Time Regulations. While all women are entitled to 26 weeks ordinary maternity leave, only those who meet the eligibility criteria will be able to claim statutory maternity pay for that period.
	All employees in Heywood and Middleton who are eligible will be entitled to take statutory paternity leave with pay and statutory adoption leave with pay.

Employment Rights

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many residents of Heywood and Middleton have benefited from a reduction of the maximum working week to 48 hours.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Working Time Regulations provide workers with the right to refuse to work more than 48 hours on average, if they do not want to. Numbers for Heywood and Middleton are not available. However, it has been estimated that around 300,000 workers resident in the North West stood to benefit from the introduction of the weekly working time limits in 1998.

Employment Rights

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the effect on residents of Stalybridge and Hyde of new rights for night-shift workers.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Working Time Regulations came into force on 1 October 1998. The regulations limit working time to 48 hours per week averaged over a 17-week reference period. For night workers the limit is eight hours per day on average, including overtime where it is part of a night worker's normal hours of work. There is no opt-out from the night working time limit.
	Night workers are entitled to 11 hours rest between working days, one day's rest per week, and a 20-minute in work rest break if the working period is longer than six hours.
	All night workers should be offered a free health assessment before they start working night and thereafter at regular intervals for as long as they are working nights. The health assessments should take account of the nature of the work and the restrictions on a worker's working time under the regulations. Workers who suffer from problems as a result of working at night, should as far as practicable be offered alternative day work.
	All workers are entitled to four weeks paid annual leave. There is no specific data available for night shift workers in Stalybridge and Hyde.

Estate Agents

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how her Department plans to respond to the Office of Fair Trading report on estate agents.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department is now considering the report's findings and recommendations and we aim to publish our response by 18 June 2004.
	In the interim, my officials will be meeting estate agents groups, consumer groups and other interested parties during the 90-day period to help inform our response.

Funeral Directors

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many funeral directors are practising in the United Kingdom.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Malcolm Bruce, dated 27 April 2004
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the number of businesses which are classified as funeral directors and related services. (168663)
	The latest available information is published in the National Statistics bulletin "PA1003—Size Analysis of United Kingdom Businesses for 2003" which shows that there were 525 businesses in the UK in the category of funeral directors and related services in March 2003.
	The bulletin is available free of change on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pal 003.

National Minimum Wage

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the number of young people in Leeds who will benefit from the introduction of the minimum wage for 16 to 18-year-olds.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government recently accepted the Low Pay Commission's recommendation that 16 and 17-year-olds should be covered by a new National Minimum Wage of £3.00 per hour, from October 2004.
	It is not possible to provide an estimate specifically for Leeds because of small sample size. However, the number of people in the UK who stand to benefit from the new rate is likely to be in the low 10s of thousands.

National Minimum Wage

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many workers in Burnley have benefited from the national minimum wage.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It is not possible to provide estimates specifically for the constituency of Burnley. However, based on the Office for National Statistics' Low Pay data released in 2003, the DTI estimates that around 140,000 people in the North West stood to benefit from the introduction of the National Minimum Wage in April 1999. Between 130,000 and 160,000 people were expected to have benefited from the October 2003 up-rating of the National Minimum Wage.

National Minimum Wage

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the (a) name, (b) industry, (c) number of employees and (d) geographical locations of those employers formally issued with enforcement notices for not complying with the national minimum wage provisions.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Inland Revenue have issued 495 enforcement notices against employers, since the minimum wage was introduced in April 1999.
	A breakdown of information is not available in the   format you have requested. For reasons of confidentiality, the Inland Revenue does not reveal the identity of the names of employers.
	We will be writing to the hon. Member with further details.

National Minimum Wage

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many workers in Warrington South have benefited from the national minimum wage.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It is not possible to provide estimates specifically for the constituency of Warrington South. However, based on the Office for National Statistics' Low Pay data released in 2003, the DTI estimates that around 140,000 people in the North West stood to benefit from the introduction of the National Minimum Wage in April 1999. Between 130,000 and 160,000 people were expected to have benefited from the October 2003 uprating of the National Minimum Wage.

National Minimum Wage

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many workers in Stalybridge and Hyde have benefited from the national minimum wage.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It is not possible to provide estimates specifically for the constituency of Stalybridge and Hyde. However, based on the Office for National Statistics' Low Pay data released in 2003, the DTI estimates that around 140,000 people in the North West stood to benefit from the introduction of the National Minimum Wage in April 1999. Between 130,000 and 160,000 people were expected to have benefited from the October 2003 up-rating of the National Minimum Wage.

Regional Development Agencies

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for   Trade and Industry by what mechanism her Department monitors the effectiveness of the Regional Development Agencies' core indicators beyond the end of year results.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 26 April 2004
	Responsibility for monitoring the effectiveness of England's Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) sits with the Government Office (GO) in each region. The GO reports provide Ministers with the information required to measure the effectiveness of RDAs, both in terms of their role as a strategic catalyst in the region and in the delivery of specific outputs.
	For the first two years of the RDAs' Single Pot (2002–03 and 2003–04), GOs reported to Ministers on RDA performance on a quarterly basis and, from April 2004, the frequency has been reduced to every six months, following the National Audit Office's recommendation in its November 2003 report, "Success in the Regions".
	Performance data are published every six months. Mid year data for 2003–04 were published on 4 February 2004 and the end year data will be published before the summer recess.

Royal Mail

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost was of withdrawing, reprinting and distributing the RMUK 530 AS leaflet, Mail Made Easy, containing the new postal rates; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: This is an operational matter for Royal Mail Group and I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Small Businesses (Burnley)

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government have taken to help small businesses in Burnley since 1997.

Nigel Griffiths: The Business Link Operator for East Lancashire has provided assistance to 927 companies in the Burnley constituency since 2001. The Small Business Service was set up as an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry in April 2000. Contracts were exchanged with a national network of 45 Business Link Operators (seven in the North West) to provide Business Support to small and medium-sized enterprises form April 2001. Before this date, Government Support to   businesses was provided through Training and Enterprise Councils and the SBS does not have access to these data.
	325 of the 927 companies were starts assisted, those companies who began trading between 1 April 2001 and 31 March 2004.
	Companies have received offers of grant from the Research and Development Grant Scheme with a total value of £193,604 since 1997.
	Under the Enterprise Grant Scheme, which has recently closed (31 March 2004), 11 companies have received offers of grant with a total value of £314,000 since 1997.
	Overall 5,970 companies were assisted in the East Lancashire area, of which 1,666 were business start-ups.
	In addition, the Chancellor has taken a number of means to assist SMEs.

Utility Companies

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what plans she has to prohibit cold calling and door-to-door selling by utility companies;
	(2)  what measures she is able to take to regulate the selling practices of utility companies.

Stephen Timms: Utility companies are subject to the range of consumer legislation governing the sale of goods and services. The specific regulation of utility companies is a matter for the individual sectoral regulators. The Government have no plans to prohibit cold-calling or door-to-door sales. In respect of gas and electricity, during 2002, the industry agreed both the EnergySure scheme, to improve the training and oversight of sales staff, and a Code of Practice on doorstep selling. In that year, we also provided OFGEM with the power to levy financial penalties on companies that breached their operating licences. OFGEM subsequently used that power to fine London Electricity £2 million for mis-selling under its own brand and that of Virgin Energy. Complaints about energy mis-selling have significantly declined since 2002.

Utility Companies

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will introduce legislation to prevent the disconnection of utility supplies due to debt.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government will not introduce legislation to prevent the disconnection of utility supplies because of non-payment of bills. Gas and electricity suppliers have, as a matter of last resort and subject to a range of safeguards, the right to disconnect customers who have not paid their bills and have ignored repeated requests to do so. The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM), has been in discussion with the energy industry about measures to improve arrangements surrounding disconnections, particularly as they affect vulnerable customers, and will shortly issue an industry consultation paper on the revised arrangements. In electronic communications, disconnection is a matter for the regulator, the Office of   Communications (OFCOM). All communications providers must have disconnection procedures that are proportionate and not unduly discriminatory. In water, companies cannot disconnect a domestic customer's supply for debt.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Environmental Impact

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what steps the Commission is taking to lessen the House's environmental impact.

Archy Kirkwood: The Serjeant at Arms commissioned a review of the Parliamentary Estate's environmental performance last year and the final report and recommendations will be available in May. I expect they will cover education and training, further work on energy efficiency consumption, and further development of green purchasing.

Security Arrangements

Ben Chapman: To ask the hon. Member forRoxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission if he will make a statement on security arrangements in the Palace of Westminster.

Archy Kirkwood: The aim of the security arrangements is the protection of Members and staff of both Houses, of all those who visit the Parliamentary Estate, and of our buildings and facilities. In order to achieve this, the authorities of both Houses make every effort to react promptly to the advice of the Security Service and of the Metropolitan Police on any potential threat.

Car Parking Charges

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what recent assessment has been made of the implications of introducing workplace charging for vehicles parked in the House car park.

Archy Kirkwood: The House has never had a policy of charging for the use of the car park, which is provided for security reasons as well as for the convenience of Members and staff. There has therefore been no specific recent assessment of the implications of charging for use of the car park, but the Greater London Authority Act 1999 contains provisions which would allow the authority or Westminster city council to introduce a licensing scheme for parking in the Palace of Westminster, under which they may levy a charge on the two Houses. The Commission will consider the matter if and when either authority makes proposals for a licensing scheme.

Environmental Audit

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission when the activities of the House were last subject to an environmental audit.

Archy Kirkwood: The environmental performance of the Parliamentary Estate was reviewed by external consultants earlier this year. Areas of specific examination were general waste management, recycling schemes, energy and water use. The final report and recommendations will be available in May.

Lighting

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what plans the Commission has to increase the provision of (a) low-energy lighting and (b) lighting activated by movement within the House.

Archy Kirkwood: We have a budget each year for investment in tactical energy saving measures. These are implemented in order of pay-back priority. Many motion activated lights have already been installed and there is budgetary provision for more.
	For all major projects, the initial project brief requires the project manager to consider methods of providing 'energy efficient lighting' as part of the overall design.

Water

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what volume of water was used within the House in each year from 1997 to date.

Archy Kirkwood: The volume of mains water used on the Parliamentary Estate during each accounting year from 1997 to date is as follows, in cubic metres. It is not possible to provide figures for the House of Commons alone.
	
		Cubic metres
		
			 Accounting year Volume of mains water 
		
		
			 1997–98 120,000 
			 1998–99 100,000 
			 1999–2000 150,000 
			 2000–01 120,000 
			 2001–02 140,000 
			 2002–03 180,000 
			 2003–04 190,000

WALES

Accountancy Services

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the (a) nature and (b) value was of all contracts, consultancies or other services placed with the accountancy firms (i) Deloitte & Touche, (ii) Ernst & Young, (iii) KPMG and (iv) PricewaterhouseCoopers since 2000–01 by the Department.

Don Touhig: Since 2000 the Wales Office has not had any dealings with the named companies.

Road Maintenance

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money was allocated for local authorities in Wales to be used for road repairs and improvements in each year since 1997; and how much of these amounts was spent on settling legal disputes arising from poor road maintenance.

Don Touhig: In determining the amount of block grant that local authorities receive, the length of roads within their area is taken into account by the National Assembly.
	However, the local authority Revenue Support Grant is not hypothecated and it is for individual local authorities to determine how much to spend on road repairs and improvements within their own area. Legal disputes are also a matter for individual authorities.

School and Hospital Closures

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) schools and (b) hospitals have been closed in Wales since 1997.

Don Touhig: I will answer this question in two parts:
	(a) Local Education Authorities are responsible for the provision of suitable education within their locality. The Assembly has set them the target that all school buildings are to be in good physical shape and well maintained by 2010, and to that end, the Assembly has already invested over £300 million in over 3,000 school buildings. In addition, the number of pupils in schools across Wales has dropped by over 3,000 between 1997–98 and 2002–03 and in reflecting the LEAs need to provide access to high quality education for pupils, 52 schools have closed in Wales 1 since 1997.
	(b) In relation to part (b) of this question, I refer the hon. Gentleman to my earlier answer given on 27 February 2004, Official Report, column 608W.
	1  Where the proposal was to close two schools and to re-open a new school on the site of one of these, this has been counted as one closure.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Accident and Emergency Departments

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average monthly waiting times in accident and emergency departments in each Northern Ireland hospital were in each of the last three years.

Angela Smith: This information is not collected centrally. Provisional data for the quarter ending 31 December 2003 indicates that 71 per cent. of patients admitted to wards from accident and emergency departments were admitted within two hours of the clinician's decision to admit.

Agriculture Courses

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for   Northern Ireland what progress he has made towards a decision on the future location for the teaching of agriculture at university level in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: I announced on Friday 23 April that The Queen's University of Belfast would be responsible for higher-level agri-food education provision from September 2005.

Animal Transportation

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the maximum journey limit is for the transportation of live animals from Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: In accordance with EU requirements journey limits are set in terms of time periods rather than distance and these are set at different levels for different ages and species of animals and birds in line with their differing physiological needs.
	For horses, cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, journey times may not normally exceed eight hours but this may be extended if the vehicle meets a range of additional welfare standards relating to feed, bedding, ventilation, inspection and water supply. In such circumstances:
	(a) Horses (except registered horses) may be transported for a maximum of 24 hours provided that they are given water and, if necessary, fed every eight hours;
	(b) Pigs may be transported for a maximum of 24 hours provided that they have continuous access to water;
	(c) Unweaned calves, lambs, kids, piglets and foals which are still on a milk diet may be transported for a maximum of nine hours after which they must be given a rest period of one hour in which they are given liquid and, if necessary, fed. After this rest period they may be transported again for another nine hours; and
	(d) Cattle, sheep and goats may be transported for a maximum of 14 hours after which they must be given a rest period of one hour in which they are fed and watered. After this rest period they may be transported again for another 14 hours.
	Poultry, domestic birds and domestic rabbits may not be transported for more than 12 hours and newly hatched chicks for not more than 24 hours unless after such time food and water are provided.

Area Plans

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what costs have so far been incurred in the preparation of the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan.

Angela Smith: The cost to date of the production of the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan is £2,800,000.00.

Area Plans

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many area plans are in place in   Northern Ireland; and how many are under preparation.

Angela Smith: There are currently 19 existing area plans in place and 10 area plans under preparation in Northern Ireland

Autism

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent changes have been made in accessing multi-agency multi-disciplinary diagnosis and assessment services at an earlier stage in relation to autistic spectrum disorder.

Angela Smith: The Department's Priorities for Action 2004–05 requires boards and trusts to establish multidisciplinary diagnostic, assessment and early intervention teams to provide for improved life outcomes for around 200 children and young people with autism per year. An additional £0.5 million has been allocated for this purpose.

Autism

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes have been made in (a) school-based and (b) home-based educational and therapeutic provision since the report of the task group on autism.

Barry Gardiner: The Department of Education and the five Education and Library Boards have responded positively to the Report of the Task Group on Autism.
	The Department of Education has actively sought additional resources. In relation to school-based provision, in 2003–04, £500,000 was invested to provide an eclectic mix of training and awareness-raising programmes in the pre-school sector. £550,000 per annum will be provided from 2004–05 to allow each Board to put in place an ASD Team dedicated to the educational needs of children with Autism and to form an Inter Board ASD Group. This will enhance local provision and enable school-based support to be put in place.
	In relation to home-based provision the Boards have sanctioned and are funding a number of home-based programmes for children with ASD. Consequently the   Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) has designed a strategic pathway to enable it to evaluate and identify effective practice in this area.

Autism

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the TEACCH educational programme for young people with autistic spectrum disorders.

Barry Gardiner: No overall assessment has been made of the TEACCH educational programme for young people with autistic spectrum disorders. This is because during the course of school inspections the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) inspect the quality of the teaching and learning as it meets the individual needs of the child in the school setting. This may involve a range of programmes but the specific interventions are not inspected in isolation. Between 1998 and 2000 the ETI undertook "A Survey of Provision for Pupils with Severe and Profound Learning Difficulties in NI". This included a section on provision for pupils with autism, which commented favourably on the use of TEACCH in the classroom by the teachers surveyed.
	For the Education and Library Boards, the ongoing assessment of TEACCH, as with other programmes, is a natural element of the work of school-based staff who are experienced and/or trained in this approach.

Autism

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the effects of applied behaviour analysis in the education of children with autistic spectrum disorders.

Barry Gardiner: To date no overall assessment of the effects of commercially available home-based ABA programmes has been undertaken at service level by the Department of Education. This is because, during the course of school inspections, the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) inspect the quality of the teaching and learning as it meets the child's individual needs in the school setting. This may involve a range of strategies but the specific programmes are not inspected in isolation.
	Several Education and Library Boards (ELBs) are currently making ABA provision for children on the basis of individual need. They will be carefully considering the progress made by pupils on these programmes and the Department will be interested in the outcomes. As a contribution to the development of ABA, the ETI is evaluating a pilot ABA programme in a pre-school setting in one ELB area. Consequently the ETI has designed a strategic pathway to enable it to evaluate and identify effective practice in home-based programmes for children with Autism.
	On an on-going basis, ELBs review children with statements of special educational needs through the statutory annual review procedures.

Civil Partnership Bill

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  when the decision was made to include Northern Ireland in the Civil Partnership Bill;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the results of the consultation on civil partnerships in Northern Ireland;
	(3)  when he will publish his response to the consultation in Northern Ireland on civil partnerships; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The consultation paper 'Civil Partnership: A Legal Status for Committed Same-Sex Couples in Northern Ireland' was published on 19 December 2003 with responses invited up to 5 March 2004. The views expressed in response to the consultation reflect the diversity of opinion in our society. All responses have been examined carefully and the points made, both points of principle and detailed comments, have been properly taken into account. Having considered the responses and reflected upon the issues raised, it was concluded that the reasons why we put forward these proposals in the first place still held good. That decision was confirmed publicly in the Press Release issued on 31 March 2004 and the Civil Partnership Bill published on that date included Northern Ireland provisions.
	Officials have compiled a report analysing the responses and outlining the Government's approach to the issues raised by respondents. This report will be published within the next few weeks.

Civil Service

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost was of the recent industrial action by staff of the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

Ian Pearson: The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Civil Service

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil servants there were in Northern Ireland in each year since 1996, broken down by (a) grade and (b) department.

Ian Pearson: I have placed tables in the Library which detail the number of Northern Ireland civil servants, by grade and department, there were in each year since 1996 in the 11 Departments of the Northern Ireland Administration, the Northern Ireland Office, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (formerly the Police Authority for Northern Ireland/RUC Civilian), Northern Ireland Assembly and Invest Northern Ireland.

Community Children's Services

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are in place to (a) develop community children's services in Northern Ireland and (b) encourage the recruitment of more community children's nurses.

Angela Smith: All HSS Trusts now provide a community children's nursing service. There are now approximately 44 community children's nurses in post across Northern Ireland with a small number working in the voluntary sector. Boards and trusts have supported the development of the service by commissioning the training of nurses in this field over a number of years. Children's nurses working in the hospital setting have been attracted to community practice and to undertake further training required in community children's nursing. Workforce planning remains the responsibility of the HSS boards and trusts who identify their needs and request the training of additional staff through the established education commissioning process. It is anticipated that a further 10 nurses will commence training provided by the University of Ulster in September 2004.

Councillors (Allowances)

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the terms are of the offer made by the Department of the Environment in relation to allowances which are to be payable to councillors in Northern Ireland for carrying out their duties.

Angela Smith: The terms offered to representatives of the National Association of Councillors, to modernise the system for the remuneration of councillors, involves two-stages.
	Stage 1 is a package, which would include the abolition of attendance allowance; a basic allowance of £7,500, to reflect the loss in income from attendance allowance; and a substantial increase in the level of special responsibility allowance to between £15,000 and £70,000, available to councils to distribute.
	Stage 2 would introduce primary legislation to enable regulations to be made. These regulations could be introduced depending on the outcome of the Review of Public Administration.

Employment Agencies

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the employment agencies which his Department has used to supply temporary staff in each financial year since 1996–97 to the most recent date for which figures are available.

Ian Pearson: The employment agencies used by the 11 Departments of the Northern Ireland Administration and the Northern Ireland Office to supply temporary staff are detailed as follows:
	
		
			 Department 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 
		
		
			 Northern Ireland Office None None None None 
			  
			 Department of Education None None None None 
			  
			 Department of Culture Arts and Leisure Department did not exist prior to Devolution None 
			  
			 Department of Finance and Personnel Information not available Information not available Information not available Information not available 
			  
			 Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister Information not available Information not available Information not available Information not available 
			   
			 Department of Social Development Department did not exist prior to Devolution Premiere People, Grafton Recruitment 
			  
			 Department of Agriculture and Rural Development None None None None 
			  
			 Department of Health, Social Services & Public Safety Information not available Information not available Information not available Information not available 
			  
			 Department of the Environment None None None None 
			 Department of Regional Development Grafton Recruitment Grafton Recruitment Grafton Recruitment Grafton Recruitment, Hayes Montrose, Select Recruitment, Helm Corporation Ltd. 
			  
			 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment None None None None 
			  
			 Department of Employment and Learning None None None None 
		
	
	
		
			 Department 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Northern Ireland Office Excel Recruitment, Josephine Sammons Ltd., Diamond Recruitment Diamond Recruitment, Badenoch & Clark, Josephine Sammons Ltd., The Agency, Excel Recruitment Lisburn Security Services, Tim Lewis Recruitment, Badenoch & Clark, Hays Accountancy Personnel, Excel Recruitment, The Agency, Josephine Sammons Ltd., Diamond Recruitment 
			 
			 Department of Education None None None 
			 
			 Department of Culture Arts and Leisure Grafton Recruitment, Reed Employment Agency Grafton Recruitment Grafton Recruitment 
			   Select Recruitment  
			 Department of Finance and Personnel Select Recruitment, Reed Employment Agency, Kennedy Recruitment, Grafton Recruitment, Diamond Recruitment Reed Employment Agency, Kennedy Recruitment, Grafton Recruitment, Diamond Recruitment, Blue Print, Blythe Grace Select Recruitment, Reed Employment Agency, Kennedy Recruitment, Blue Print, Blythe Grace 
			 
			 Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister Select Recruitment, Reed Employment Agency, Kennedy Recruitment, Grafton Recruitment, Diamond Recruitment Select Recruitment, Reed Employment Agency, Kennedy Recruitment, Grafton Recruitment, Diamond Recruitment Select Recruitment, Reed Employment Agency, Kennedy Recruitment 
			 
			 Department of Social Development Premiere People, Grafton Recruitment Premiere People, Grafton Recruitment Premiere People, Grafton Recruitment 
			 
			 Department of Agriculture and Rural Development None None None 
			 
			 Department of Health, Social Services & Public Safety Premier Employment Ltd., Select Recruitment Premier Employment Ltd., Flexiskills Recruitment, Lisburn Security Services, Select Recruitment Premier Employment Ltd., Flexiskills Recruitment, Lisburn Security Services, Select Recruitment 
			 
			 Department of the Environment None Reed Employment Agency Reed Employment Agency 
			 
			 Department of Regional Development Grafton Recruitment, Hayes Montrose, Blueprint Engineering, Diamond Recruitment, Prof & Tech Placements, Select Recruitment, Helm Corporation Ltd., Reed Accountancy Grafton Recruitment, Hayes Montrose, Tim Lewis Recruitment, Prof & Tech Placements, Blueprint Engineering, Select Recruitment, Diamond Recruitment, Helm Corporation Ltd., Hays Accountancy Grafton Recruitment, Hayes Montrose, Blueprint Engineering, Select Recruitment, Diamond Recruitment, Helm Corporation Ltd., Hays Accountancy, Kennedy Recruitment 
			 
			 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment Kennedy Recruitment Kennedy Recruitment None 
			 
			 Department of Employment and Learning None None Select Recruitment

Health Services (Newtownards and North Down)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the equity of resource allocation studies by the Eastern Health and Social Services Board and what conclusions he has drawn, in relation to the provision of services for those residing in the Newtownards and North Down Region; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: In line with departmental policy, the Eastern Board is responsible for the equitable distribution among its local populations of the resources provided to it by the Department. In doing so, the Board has developed a locality equity strategy which has, and will continue to, skew additional resources towards those local populations assessed as being underfunded in relation to their target share of resources determined by an evidence based formula. Resources skewed towards the North Down and Ards locality in 2004–05 have resulted in a reduction of the relative under investment position by £0.329 million. In addition, a further £0.6 million has been provided to support Family and Child Care services in North Down and Ards. The locality equity assessment will be revised next year as the latest research into needs-based allocations becomes available.

Hospital Admission Procedures

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will appoint an experienced individual or group (a) to conduct a Province-wide appraisal of the course of hospital admissions and (b) to suggest means of enhancing efficiency from the primary care assessment stage through to ward discharge; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: Improving the flow of emergency hospital admissions is a key priority for my Department. A target has been set to reduce by a third the number of patients waiting more than two hours in an accident and emergency department between the decision to admit and admission to a ward, by 31 March 2005 compared to 2003–04 levels. Boards and trusts are required to submit proposals to streamline processes relating to   emergency patients flows to the Department by 31 August 2004.
	The Department plans to take forward a regional initiative during 2004–05 to improve the flow of emergency patients through hospital. This regional programme, which will ensure that recognised best practice is implemented across all hospitals, will be overseen and directed by a Regional Steering Group comprising people with a wide range of experience in this area. It will build on work undertaken in the Eastern Board area over the past year which examined the way hospitals admitted emergency patients, how those patients moved through the hospital system and how they were discharged, and the experiences of similar programmes developed by the Modernisation Agency in England.

Housing

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the availability of properties for first-time buyers in Northern Ireland.

John Spellar: While there are no specific properties made available for first time buyers, price being the main factor in determining whether or not a specific property is appropriate for a first time buyer, the vast majority of new houses constructed in Northern Ireland are affordable to first time buyers.
	The Housing Executive's house sales scheme and my Department's Co-ownership scheme also make a vital contribution in providing a stock of suitable properties for first time buyers.
	The Housing Executive's house sales scheme has enabled over 105,000 tenants to become home owners while the Co-ownership scheme has, since its inception in 1978, helped over 17,500 participants to become homeowners on an equity sharing basis, with over 13,000 of these eventually moving to full home ownership.
	According to lending sources 13,000 mortgages were advanced to first time buyers in 2003, and DSD and NIHE statistics indicate that almost half of these applied to NIHE house sales and Co-ownership transactions.

Nurses

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to encourage the recruitment and retention of nurses in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: Recruitment and retention of nursing staff is a matter for individual employers. In recognition of recruitment difficulties the annual number of pre-registration nurse training places was increased from 580 to 680 in 2001 and 750 in 2002 and these increases have been maintained. There are currently around 2,300 nursing students undergoing training.
	Local employers attend annual "Job Fairs" arranged by Queen's University and University of Ulster and these provide additional opportunities to recruit staff and promote nursing as a career.
	Existing employees have opportunities to participate in post-registration training to meet service needs and enhance career progression.

Nurses

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many school (a) full-time and (b) part-time nurses are employed within each Northern Ireland Education and Library Board area.

Barry Gardiner: The information available in respect of the number of (a) full-time and (b) part-time nurses employed by each Northern Ireland Education and Library Board is detailed follows.
	
		Number of nurses
		
			  Full-time Part-time 
		
		
			 BELB 0 0 
			 NEELB 0 (15)3 
			 SEELB 0 (16)5 
			 SELB (17)4 (17)7 
			 WELB 0 0 
		
	
	(15) Two share one post.
	(16) Four nurses and one matron.
	(17) Staff are engaged by the board as nurses, matrons and pupil welfare auxiliaries.

Police Stations

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding has been made available for the maintenance and renovation of police stations in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years; and what steps he is taking to improve (a) security and (b) working conditions in police stations.

Paul Murphy: The question of optimising resources made available for policing, including the maintenance and renovation of properties in the police estate, is a matter for the Chief Constable, in consultation with the Policing Board.
	I have been advised that a total of £35.1 million was made available for maintenance works in the last five years. This is broken down as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2003–04 8.1 
			 2002–03 8 
			 2001–02 7 
			 2000–01 7 
			 1999–2000 5 
		
	
	With regard to the security of police stations, the   relevant District Commanders keep the security measures at PSNI stations under constant review, with additional expert advice and guidance available, when required, from specialists at PSNI Headquarters.
	In relation to improving working conditions, the maintenance funding delivers a programme of works specifically designed to achieve uniformity of working conditions at all stations to Home Office/PSNI accommodation standards. Considerable emphasis is being placed on improving environmental management, heating and ventilation, upgrading lighting and compliance with Disability Discrimination Act requirements.

Police Stations

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when each police station in Northern Ireland was last substantially refurbished.

Paul Murphy: The police have advised that all major District Command Unit Headquarter stations are refurbished on a five year cycle, although maintenance required to address Health and Safety concerns is expedited on an annual basis. All Sector stations are subject to Condition Surveys every three years with resulting maintenance works expedited within the following twelve months.

Stolen Cars

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cars were reported stolen in each police district in Northern Ireland in the last five years for which figures are available; how many of these cars were later recovered; and what steps he is taking to tackle car crime in Northern Ireland.

Paul Murphy: The following tables set out the numbers of vehicles stolen in each police District Command Unit, over the past five years, together with the number of vehicles recovered.
	
		
			  1999 2000 2001 
			  Stolen Recovered Stolen Recovered Stolen Recovered 
		
		
			 Antrim 233 200 225 191 229 186 
			 Ards 189 158 202 177 258 233 
			 Armagh 85 66 117 79 93 77 
			 Ballymena 123 113 110 93 129 105 
			 Ballymoney 18 16 45 41 23 16 
			 Banbridge 65 56 95 69 89 68 
			 Belfast East 338 301 440 379 488 430 
			 Belfast North 658 576 766 682 968 838 
			 Belfast South 1,026 867 1,378 1,180 1,786 1,579 
			 Belfast West 1,102 992 1,361 1,230 885 801 
			 Carrickfergus 81 74 89 83 101 90 
			 Castlereagh 272 243 295 256 389 331 
			 Coleraine 146 136 134 117 123 105 
			 Cookstown 69 48 57 38 70 55 
			 Craigavon 281 248 302 250 342 291 
			 Down 252 233 293 257 339 296 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 108 79 130 103 148 118 
			 Fermanagh 99 89 88 76 86 73 
			 Foyle 293 271 245 221 243 212 
			 Larne 57 52 42 40 68 59 
			 Limavady 29 25 43 38 54 46 
			 Lisburn 733 667 782 672 817 712 
			 Magherafelt 73 58 61 47 65 52 
			 Moyle 18 17 25 25 41 36 
			 Newry and Mourne 292 216 285 211 291 214 
			 Newtownabbey 365 317 328 270 399 330 
			 North Down 271 241 288 266 342 312 
			 Omagh 137 122 134 119 89 78 
			 Strabane 45 35 77 68 63 54 
			 Total 7,458 6,516 8,437 7,278 9,018 7,797 
		
	
	
		
			  2002 2003 
			  Stolen Recovered Stolen Recovered 
		
		
			 Antrim 236 190 193 157 
			 Ards 274 227 149 120 
			 Armagh 80 59 76 43 
			 Ballymena 115 91 105 73 
			 Ballymoney 31 24 31 24 
			 Banbridge 64 52 82 56 
			 Belfast East 537 465 299 248 
			 Belfast North 751 666 472 389 
			 Belfast South 1,349 1,198 709 592 
			 Belfast West 615 563 392 338 
			 Carrickfergus 102 95 64 58 
			 Castlereagh 301 268 211 168 
			 Coleraine 102 91 83 72 
			 Cookstown 46 37 42 32 
			 Craigavon 188 139 228 195 
			 Down 307 267 203 153 
			 Dungannon and South   Tyrone 124 104 93 69 
			 Fermanagh 78 65 74 64 
			 Foyle 203 176 196 166 
			 Larne 44 32 29 24 
			 Limavady 37 34 31 30 
			 Lisburn 694 581 559 454 
			 Magherafelt 37 24 32 21 
			 Moyle 38 34 23 22 
			 Newry and Mourne 459 359 257 169 
			 Newtownabbey 376 324 260 208 
			 North Down 242 209 142 123 
			 Omagh 75 61 55 46 
			 Strabane 54 50 59 52 
			 Total 7,559 6,485 5,149 4,166 
		
	
	In March 2003 the Government published a Community Safety Strategy—Creating a Safer Northern Ireland through Partnership. One of the nine key issues specified in the strategy related to car crime. The Strategy has an aim of reducing car crime by 10 per cent. by 2007, using 2001–02 as a baseline year. A number of activities were defined in the Strategy document and many of these have commenced.
	During the period March to May 2002 the PSNI implemented Operation Clean Up in the Greater Belfast area, an operation that removed unlicensed vehicles from public roads. In that period 940 vehicles were removed with 83 per cent. of them being destroyed. This operation had a major impact on crime with the reported crimes of domestic burglary, theft of vehicles and "drive offs" from petrol stations significantly reduced; road traffic accidents were also down by 13 per cent., vehicle arsons were down by 23 per cent. and the number of vehicles removed by Councils down by 32 per cent.
	Since then further similar exercises have been completed in Londonderry, Tyrone, Ballymena and Larne.
	Funds have now been secured to deliver an extended car crime project, based upon Operation Clean Up, and discussions are currently on going with the PSNI, DVLNI and Belfast city council.
	In a partnership of organisations led by the Probation Board and funded by the NIO the IMPACT project was established in West Belfast. The aim of the project is to reduce the level of car crime related incidents by targeting those involved and those who are vulnerable to involvement to such activity, through the provision of structured preventative, diversionary and interventionist programmes. This project has recently been given funding for the period up to March 2006.
	The PSNI have undertaken a number of specific initiatives to tackle offenders. A special Auto Crime Team has been established which operates mainly in the West Belfast area, to tackle the problems associated with "joy riding". This has proved to be very successful with a significant number of arrests being made and individuals prosecuted.
	In addition a number of local initiatives have been undertaken throughout Northern Ireland which are supported by advice and leaflets from local crime prevention officers.
	Since 2003 the Government have introduced legislation which brought in some new offences and tougher penalties for offences such as aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by careless driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and causing death or grievous bodily injury by aggravated vehicle taking. The PSNI will have powers of arrest for drivers who drive while disqualified. Many of these legislative proposals are currently published for consultations. It is anticipated that any new offences and changes to the maximum sentences available will be in place and operational by autumn 2004.

Teaching Assistants

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time teaching assistants there were in each Northern Ireland Education and Library Board area in each of the last three years.

Barry Gardiner: The available information in respect of the number of (a) full-time and (b) part-time teaching assistants employed in each of the last three years in each Education and Library Board area across the school sectors is detailed as follows:
	
		Full/part-time classroom and nursery assistants in controlled and maintained schools
		
			  2001 2002 2003 Total 
		
		
			 BELB 
			 Full-time 294 306 329 929 
			 Part-time 125 175 489 789 
			  
			 NEELB 
			 Full-time 206 142 147 495 
			 Part-time 713 684 820 2,217 
			  
			 SEELB 
			 Full-time 270 287 294 851 
			 Part-time 979 1,085 1,193 3,257 
			  
			 SELB 
			 Full-time 82 71 1 154 
			 Part-time 1,104 1,243 1,566 3,913 
			  
			 WELB 
			 Full-time 322 337 324 983 
			 Part-time 605 702 697 2004 
		
	
	
		Full/part-time classroom and nursery assistants in voluntary grammar schools
		
			  2002 2003 Total 
		
		
			 BELB
			 Full-time 16 18 34 
			 Part-time 11 13 24 
			 
			 NEELB
			 Full-time 11 12 23 
			 Part-time 9 11 20 
			 
			 SEELB
			 Full-time 23 25 48 
			 Part-time 8 8 16 
			 
			 SELB
			 Full-time 15 17 32 
			 Part-time 8 10 18 
			 
			 WELB
			 Full-time 13 18 31 
			 Part-time 2 2 4 
		
	
	
		Full/part-time classroom and nursery assistants in grant-maintained integrated schools
		
			  2002 2003 Total 
		
		
			 BELB
			 Full-time 13 20 33 
			 Part-time 16 24 40 
			 
			 NEELB
			 Full-time 15 16 31 
			 Part-time 22 29 51 
			 
			 SEELB
			 Full-time 25 28 53 
			 Part-time 26 35 61 
			 
			 SELB
			 Full-time 33 36 69 
			 Part-time 20 26 46 
			 
			 WELB
			 Full-time 28 31 59 
			 Part-time 21 22 43 
		
	
	The information for 2001 in respect of voluntary grammar schools and grant-maintained schools is not readily available.

Truancy

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to tackle truancy from schools in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: The responsibility to ensure regular attendance at school rests primarily with parents. Where a school has concerns about a pupil's attendance, a referral can be made to the Education Welfare Service. An officer will normally visit the home to assess the situation and then determine appropriate follow up action based on the underlying reasons for poor attendance.
	The Department of Education has recently made funds available to the Education and Library Boards for a computerised database for the Education Welfare Service aimed, among other things, at tracking and monitoring pupils whose attendance is a cause for concern. In addition a pilot project aimed at promoting the habit of regular attendance at an early age is currently under way in a number of primary schools. Following a full evaluation of this project the Department will consider if it could usefully be extended to other schools.

Ulster Hospital

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to ensure adequate capacity at the Ulster Hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust has taken a number of steps to increase capacity at the Ulster Hospital and improve access to key hospital services. These steps have included the introduction of additional hospital beds, increased provision of services in the community, and a number of projects to improve the flow of patients through the hospital.
	In the longer term, a major capital redevelopment programme is underway that will further increase capacity at the Ulster and ensure that patients have ready access to high quality hospital services in a state-of-the-art environment.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Animal Experiments

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what cost/benefit analysis has been conducted regarding animal experimentation.

Caroline Flint: The Home Office has not itself conducted a general cost/benefit analysis regarding animal experimentation. Various competent bodies have considered whether animal experimentation is valid and justified, including the Animal Procedures Committee and the House of Lords Select Committee on Animals in Scientific Procedures. They have concluded, in line with the consensus within the scientific community, that there is a continuing need for animal research and testing.
	A form of cost benefit assessment of individual programmes of work has to be undertaken before the Home Office grants licences under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to authorise the use of animals. Such licences can accordingly only be granted where, among other considerations, the likely benefits of the work are expected to outweigh the welfare costs to the animals involved. No animal procedures are therefore lawfully carried out which have not been fully justified.
	More information about the statutory cost benefit assessment used in particular cases can be found at Appendix I of Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (HC321).

Animal Experiments

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for   the Home Department what research has been conducted into the effects on animals of heterotopic transplants.

Caroline Flint: Heterotopic transplants of organs are those in which the transplanted organ is not located at the same anatomical position as the animal's own organ, for example, where a third kidney is implanted into the abdomen. We are not aware of any research carried out in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere, exclusively to study the effects of such transplants on the welfare of the animals concerned.
	Such transplants have been carried out under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to investigate aspects of the performance of the transplanted organs, and causes of transplant rejection and methods of overcoming this problem. Significant scientific findings have been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. The effects on the welfare of the animals would be reported in records maintained by the researchers.

Animal Experiments

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the openness of the (a) regulation and (b) licensing procedures in relation to animal experimentation.

Caroline Flint: For some time now the Government has taken the view that greater openness and transparency regarding the regulation and use of animals in scientific procedures is desirable, providing it does not jeopardise the safety of individual scientists and their establishments, or their legitimate commercial and intellectual interests.
	We have undertaken to review all statutory bars to the disclosure of information as part of our commitment to freedom of information, including section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, the so-called 'confidentiality clause'. Section 24 makes the unauthorised disclosure of confidential information relating to the use of animals in scientific procedures by Home Office Ministers and officials, members of the Animal Procedures Committee, and others appointed for specific purposes under the Act, a criminal offence. I hope to announce the outcome of the review of section 24 shortly.
	Separately, in our response to the report of the House of Lords Select Committee on Animals in Scientific Procedures, published in January 2003 (Cm 5729), we announced plans to publish summary information relating to project licences issued under the 1986 Act as part of the Home Office publication scheme under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Home Office officials are working out the practical arrangements with licensees now and we plan to publish the first summaries in the autumn 2004.
	At the same time, we have concluded that there would be value in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate publishing an annual report on its work. The Inspectorate's first annual report will also be published in the autumn of 2004. In addition, the Inspectorate has an active outreach and education programme to inform stakeholders about the regulatory system and the Home Office web-site includes a range of material relating to the implementation of the 1986 Act.

Animal Experiments

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the classification of animal experiments is decided.

Caroline Flint: The Home Office issues project licences under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 for the use of protected animals for experimental and other scientific purposes.
	Project licences are assigned severity bands reflecting the average overall level of suffering likely to be experienced by the animals used on authorised programmes of work. Each protocol within a programme of work is assigned a severity limit which sets the maximum permissible level of suffering which could be experienced by any single animal used on that protocol.
	There are four severity bands and four severity limits:   unclassified, mild, moderate and substantial. Definitions of these categories are provided in paragraph 5.42 of the published Home Office Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act1986(HC321).

Animal Experiments

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for theHome Department what official Home Office classification was approved for experiments on primates by Imutran Ltd.

Caroline Flint: The Imutran Limited research licensed by the Home Office under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 involving pig to non-human primate xenotransplantation studies was carried out between 1994 and 2000 under three project licences all of which were allocated an overall severity band of 'moderate'. In addition, of the 28 separate protocols of regulated procedures authorised under these licences, two were allocated substantial severity limits, 16 were classified as moderate, seven were classified as mild, and three were unclassified.
	The administrative system under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 distinguishes between the 'severity limit' of a protocol and the 'severity band' of a project. The severity limit of a protocol is determined by the upper limit of the expected adverse effects that may be encountered by the animal involved, taking into account the measures specified in the licence for avoiding and controlling adverse effects. It represents the worse potential outcome for any animal subjected to the series of regulated procedures in the protocol, even if it may only be experienced by a small number of the animals to be used. Severity limits are categorised as unclassified, mild, moderate and substantial. Definitions of these categories are provided in paragraph 5.42 of the published Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (HC321).
	The allocation of a severity band to a project reflects the number of animals used on each protocol and the actual suffering likely to be caused as a result. It is based on the overall level of cumulative suffering to be experienced by each animal, not just the worst possible case. It takes into account the proportion of animals expected to reach the severity limit of the protocol and the duration of the exposure to that severity limit, the nature and intensity of the adverse effects, and the actions to be taken to relieve the suffering.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letter to him from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, dated 8 March 2004, with regard to Mohammed Riaz.

David Blunkett: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 26 April 2004.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  when he intends to reply to the letter to him from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, dated 8 March, with regard to Miss Tornish;
	(2)  when he intends to reply to the letter to him from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton.

David Blunkett: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 27 April 2004.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letter to him from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, dated 8 March 2004, with regard to Mr. Abdul Hussain Talash.

David Blunkett: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 20 April 2004.

Crime (Birkenhead)

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage change in (a) overall recorded crime, (b) recorded violent crime, (c) burglaries and (d) vehicle thefts in Birkenhead has been since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not available centrally.
	Birkenhead comes within the Wirral Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area. Data at CDRP level has only been published from 1999–2000 onwards. Detailed statistics at CDRP level are available for 2002–03 on the new Home Office website: http://www.crimestatistics.org.uk

Crime (Birkenhead)

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much public funding has been spent on CCTV security cameras in Birkenhead since 1997.

Hazel Blears: As part of the Crime Reduction Programme, £358,000 was provided in 2001 to the Wirral metropolitan borough council for an extension of their CCTV network covering various locations in Birkenhead, New Ferry and Liscard.
	A further £187,000 was allocated to a CCTV project in New Brighton, in a neighbouring constituency.
	No separate figure is available specifically for Birkenhead.

Crime (Birkenhead)

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public funds were spent on tackling drug misuse in Birkenhead in (a) 1997–98 and (b) 2003–04.

Caroline Flint: Breakdown of financial allocation to local constituencies is not available in the form requested as funding is allocated to Drug Action Team (DAT) area (Wirral DAT).
	In 1997–98 funding available to the two main local drug treatment providers in the area totalled £610,452.
	
		
			  Fund Treatment provider Budget headings Amount Source of information 
		
		
			 Wirral health authority AID/HIV moneys Wirral West Cheshire partnership Trust Aids /HIV 39,137 PCT records 
			Needle and Syringe Exchange 152,411  
			Infection control nurse 12,304  
			Drug Service budget 109,852  
			Total 313,704  
			 Wirral MBC Social Services Department Social Services Grant ARCH Initiatives SS Grant for counselling and support and residential services 296,748 Wirral MBC and Arch Initiatives 
			Total 296,748  
		
	
	In 2003–04 the total drugs allocation was £5,265,567. This figure includes new funding streams as part of the National Drug Strategy (please see table). The two years are therefore not directly comparable.
	
		
			 2003–04 £ 
		
		
			 Partnership Capacity (DAT CAD and DAT DEV   and Strategic grant) 80,328 
			 Treatment Pooled Budget 4,299,273 
			 Through Care After Care Pump Priming 35,000 
			 Building Safer Communities(18) 362,745 
			 Young people 488,221 
			 Total 5,265,567 
		
	
	(18) Contains non drug elements

Crime (Wirral, South)

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage change in (a) overall recorded crime, (b) recorded violent crime, (c) burglaries and (d) vehicles thefts in Wirral South has been since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not available centrally.
	Wirral South comes within the Wirral Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area. Data at CDRP level has only been published from 1999–2000 onwards. Detailed statistics at CDRP level are available for 2002–03 on the new Home Office website: http://www.crimestatistics.org.uk

Crime (Wirral, South)

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much public funding has been spent on CCTV security cameras in Wirral South since 1997.

Hazel Blears: As part of the Crime Reduction Programme, £358,000 was provided in 2001 to Wirral metropolitan borough council for an extension of their   CCTV network covering various locations in Birkenhead, New Ferry and Liscard.
	A further £187,000 was allocated to a CCTV project in New Brighton, in a neighbouring constituency.

Cyclists

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance the Government have issued to (a) the police and (b) transport authorities concerning handling cases of cyclists ignoring red traffic lights.

Caroline Flint: None. It is an offence for a cyclist not to comply with light signals controlling traffic. Only the police have the power to enforce this offence.
	The enforcement of cycling offences is an operational matter for chief officers.

Detention and Training Orders

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many detention and training orders have been made in each year since their introduction; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is contained in the table.
	
		Juveniles sentenced to detention and training orders,England and Wales, April 2000 to December 2002
		
			  Number of juveniles sentenced to detention and training orders 
		
		
			 2000(19) 5,074 
			 2001 7,069 
			 2002 6,684 
		
	
	(19) From 1 April.
	Statistics for 2003 will be published in the autumn.

Drug Consumption Rooms

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction's recent report on drug consumption rooms; and if he will make an assessment of the case for introduction of such schemes in the United Kingdom.

Caroline Flint: The Home Office and the Department of Health are currently reviewing the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction's (EMCDDA) report.
	The supervision of prescribed drugs in front of trained staff is a well-established practice. The UK will not contravene or undermine UN Conventions or the Misuse of Drugs Act and facilities for supervising the consumption of illegal drugs would fall foul of these. Therefore no authority could be given to the piloting of initiatives to supervise the consumption of illegal drugs.

Drug Treatment and Testing Orders

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug treatment and testing orders were issued in 2003.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 26 April 2004
	Between 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2003 7,866 drug treatment and testing orders were made in England and Wales.

Drugs Misuse (Manchester)

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public funds were spent on tackling drugs misuse in Manchester Gorton in (a) 1997–98 and (b) 2003–04.

Caroline Flint: Figures are not available for 1997–8.
	Figures for 2003–04 are available for Manchester as a whole only. In 2003–04 the following amounts were spent on tackling drugs misuse in Manchester City Council area.
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Adult Pooled Treatment Budget: 3,390,000 
			 Young People's Pooled Budget 996,485 
			 Building Safer Communities 1,082,189 
			 Criminal Justice Interventions Programme (Capacity Building and Throughcare and Aftercare) 800,000 
			 Drug Testing (within Greater Manchester Police Force area) 1,198,491.65 
			 Total 7,467,165.65

Gamekeepers

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home   Department How many gamekeepers have been convicted in the last 10 years of the illegal killing of hen harriers.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 22 April 2004
	Information collected centrally by the Home Office on court proceedings in relation to wildlife does not enable the type of bird involved to be identified, nor the status of the person convicted.

Justice and Home Affairs Council

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the outcome was of the Justice and Home Affairs Council held on 30 March; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: I wrote to the European Scrutiny Committee on 5 April reporting the outcome of the Justice and Home Affairs Council.

Parole

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many life sentence prisoners have been released on parole during each of the last 48 months.

Paul Goggins: The requested information is shown in the table.
	
		Releases on life licence April 2000-March 2004
		
			 Month Year   Number of releases 
		
		
			 April (20)2000 8 
			 May 2000 13 
			 June 2000 19 
			 July 2000 13 
			 August 2000 4 
			 September 2000 7 
			 October 2000 8 
			 November 2000 6 
			 December 2000 4 
			 January 2001 16 
			 February 2001 14 
			 March 2001 13 
			 April 2001 25 
			 May 2001 12 
			 June 2001 14 
			 July 2001 11 
			 August 2001 17 
			 September 2001 9 
			 October 2001 18 
			 November 2001 15 
			 December 2001 10 
			 January 2002 10 
			 February 2002 13 
			 March 2002 10 
			 April 2002 12 
			 May 2002 17 
			 June 2002 12 
			 July 2002 22 
			 August 2002 26 
			 September 2002 14 
			 October 2002 26 
			 November 2002 14 
			 December 2002 18 
			 January 2003 18 
			 February 2003 28 
			 March 2003 29 
			 April 2003 18 
			 May 2003 30 
			 June 2003 22 
			 July 2003 38 
			 August 2003 32 
			 September 2003 22 
			 October 2003 40 
			 November 2003 15 
			 December 2003 30 
			 January 2004 15 
			 February 2004 31 
			 March 2004 38 
		
	
	(20) Information for April 2000-March 2001 relates to first time release cases only. Subsequent data also include cases where prisoners have been re-released following recall from life licence.

Part 1 Warrant

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the information required to be provided on the face of a part 1 warrant, including a European Arrest Warrant, is specified in legislation.

Caroline Flint: The information required to be provided on the face of a part 1 warrant is specified in section 2 of the Extradition Act 2003.

Prison Drug Treatments

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost per offender was of each drug treatment and testing order in 2003 in (a) Nottinghamshire and (b) England.

Paul Goggins: This information is not held centrally but the recent report by the National Audit Office, "The Drug Treatment and Testing Order (DTTO): early lessons" reported that the unit cost of an order in 2002–03 in the areas they visited varied from £5,258 to £7,592. Nottingham Probation Area has advised us that   the approximate average cost of a DTTO in Nottinghamshire was £5,363.

Prisoners

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in 2003 began training, education or offender behaviour programmes but were unable to complete these courses due to (a) transfer to another establishment and (b) release from custody.

Paul Goggins: In 2003 approximately 8,300 prisoners began accredited offending behaviour programmes. Of   the 6,946 commencements of general offending behaviour programmes—Enhanced Thinking Skills and Reasoning and Rehabilitation—95 prisoners (1.4 per cent.) did not complete because they were transferred and 16 (0.2 per cent.) did not complete because they were released. The percentage of prisoners not completing other accredited programmes for these reasons would have been similar or lower.
	Equivalent information on non-completion is not collected centrally for prisoners' training and education.

Prisoners

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were assessed as having drug-related problems on (a) entry to and (b) exit from each (i) HM Prison Service establishment and (ii) privately run prison establishment since January 2003.

Paul Goggins: Figures on the number of prisoners assessed on entry as having a drug-related problem are not recorded centrally, but epidemiological studies show around 54 per cent. of new receptions to be problematic drug misusers and that around 80 per cent. of prisoners had used drugs at some point before coming into custody. All prisoners receive a healthcare assessment on reception. This resulted in detoxification being provided to 50,701 prisoners in 2002–03, 4,085 of whom were in the contracted estate.
	All prisons employ drug counselling, assessment, referral and throughcare (CARATs) teams, who, among other tasks, are responsible for putting problematic drug using prisoners in touch with community support on leaving prison. CARATs teams dealt with 52,000 prisoners in 2002–03 at all stages in their sentence.
	No separate assessment of drug-related problems is made at the point offenders leave prisons. There will always be a heightened risk of relapse on return to the community and a key aim of the Criminal Justice Interventions Programme is to strengthen continuity of treatment and reduce that risk.

Prisons

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, under future market tests of publicly run prisons, staff transferred to a private sector operator will be protected by the two tier workforce provisions applicable to local government employees in a similar position.

Paul Goggins: The Home Office complies with policy for Central Government Departments and Agencies on the handling of staff transfers. The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 ("TUPE") govern the majority of such staff transfers and contractors are normally also required to apply the principles set out in the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice "Staff Transfers in the Public Sector" and its annex "A Fair Deal for Staff Pensions". The Home Office does not propose to extend this further to mirror the two-tier workforce provisions contained in the Local Government Code of Practice on Workforce Matters.

Young Offenders

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young offenders were held in secure accommodation by each local authority social services department on the latest date for which figures are available.

Paul Goggins: The number of young offenders held under sentence in local authority secure children's homes on 29 March 2004, by Youth Offending Team, is given in the table.
	
		Young offenders held in LASCHs under sentence, by Youth 29March 2004
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 1 
			 Barnsley 2 
			 Basingstoke 2 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 1 
			 Bexley 1 
			 Birmingham (Central) 1 
			 Birmingham (East) 3 
			 Birmingham (North) 1 
			 Birmingham (South) 4 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 2 
			 Bolton 5 
			 Bournemouth and Poole 1 
			 Bracknell Forest 1 
			 Bradford 3 
			 Brent 1 
			 Bristol 1 
			 Bury MBC 1 
			 Caerphilly and Blaunau Gwent 1 
			 Calderdale 3 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 
			 Camden 2 
			 Canterbury and Swale 1 
			 Cardiff 5 
			 Cheshire (Central) 1 
			 Chesterfield 1 
			 Coventry 1 
			 Croydon 1 
			 Cumbria 2 
			 Darlington borough council 1 
			 Derby city council 3 
			 Derbyshire county council 1 
			 Dudley 4 
			 Durham (South) 2 
			 Enfield 2 
			 Flintshireand Wrexham 5 
			 Gloucestershire 1 
			 Gwynedd and Ynys Mon 1 
			 Hackney 4 
			 Halton and Warrington 1 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2 
			 Haringey 1 
			 Hertfordshire East 1 
			 Hertfordshire North 2 
			 Kent county council 3 
			 Kingston Upon Hull city council 5 
			 Kirklees 2 
			 Lancashire 8 
			 Leeds 10 
			 Leicester 1 
			 Lewisham 2 
			 Liverpool 8 
			 Manchester Central 7 
			 Merthyr Tydfil 2 
			 Milton Keynes 1 
			 Monmouthshire and Torfaen 1 
			 Neath Port Talbot 1 
			 Newark and Bassetlaw 1 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 2 
			 Newham 4 
			 Newport 3 
			 Norfolk 1 
			 North East Lincolnshire 2 
			 North Lincolnshire 2 
			 North Tyneside 4 
			 North Yorkshire 1 
			 Nottingham City 7 
			 Oxfordshire 2 
			 Peterborough 3 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames 1 
			 Rochdale 3 
			 Rotherham 2 
			 Salford City 3 
			 Sandwell 3 
			 Sheffield 2 
			 Somerset 1 
			 South Durham 1 
			 South Tyneside 1 
			 Southwark 3 
			 St. Helens 1 
			 Staffordshire 1 
			 Stockport 2 
			 Stoke on Trent 2 
			 Sunderland 4 
			 Surrey 1 
			 Sutton 1 
			 Swansea 1 
			 Tameside 1 
			 Trafford 4 
			 Wakefield 1 
			 Waltham Forest 3 
			 Wandsworth 3 
			 Wessex 8 
			 West Sussex 3 
			 Wigan 1 
			 Wiltshire 3 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 1 
			 Wirral 2 
			 Wolverhampton 1 
			 Worcestershire and Herefordshire 2 
			 York 1

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

HIV/AIDS

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research he has commissioned on microbicide creams to prevent the spread of HIV.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID has been an early and leading bilateral supporter of work on microbicides, spending nearly £18 million to date. DFID has committed a grant of £16 million over five years (2001–06) for the   Microbicide Development Programme, which is coordinated by the Clinical Trials Unit of the UK Medical Research Council (MRC), and Imperial College London. The programme is implementing research studies to investigate the effectiveness of promising microbicide products, involving research centres in five African countries. DFID also provides support to the International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) to accelerate the discovery, development and accessibility of microbicides, and International Family Health (IFH) and the Population Council to develop policy dialogue, advocacy and networking around microbicides development and access.
	DFID supported and jointly chaired the international Microbicides 2004 conference, which was held in London, 28 March to 1 April 2004. It was an important opportunity for scientists and advocates to share information on the progress of microbicide development. We will launch our new HIV/AIDS Strategy later this year. In it we will set how we will work together with partners in developed and developing countries to drive forward research into new   technologies to prevent HIV/AIDS, including microbicides and vaccines.

Consultancy Fees

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much has been spent on consultancy fees by his Department in each of the last three years.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Expenditure on consultancy services in each of the last five years is recorded in the "Statistics on International Development", Table 12. A copy of this publication is available in the Library of the House.

Democratic Republic of Congo

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken to determine the number of unexploded land mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Hilary Benn: In 2003, the United Nations Mine Action Service established the United Nations Mine Action Co-ordination Centre (UNMACC) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The UNMACC is now undertaking local surveys to determine the extent of the land mine problem in the Congo and providing expertise for the coordination of assistance to tackle the problem. In 2003, DFID provided a sum of £65,333 via its global grant to UNMAS to help fund these activities.

Democratic Republic of Congo

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the humanitarian requirements of those Congolese nationals expelled from Angola and living in the Bandundu and Kasai-Occidental provinces of Democratic Republic of Congo; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The humanitarian needs of Congolese expelled from Angola continue to be of concern. As of 20 April, some 67,000 Congolese have been registered by local crisis committees in Bandundu and Western Kasai Provinces. The Office for the Co-Ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) led an inter-agency mission on 19 April to Tshikapa in Western Kasai Province. Mission participants included the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Office Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), OCHA, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Caritas and representatives from the Congolese Ministries of Solidarity and Humanitarian Affairs and of the Interior. A number of Humanitarian NGO and United Nations partners are currently responding and DFID is monitoring the situation.

Demography

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the implications for global development assistance of current UN projections for world population in (a) 2100 and (b) 2150.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Many assessments of world population only stretch as far as 2050, and DFID's development assistance policy is largely geared towards 2015, the target for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). However, the UN's Population Division has carried out a series of long-range population projections at regional level with a time horizon of 2150. These projections include assessments of   possible future fertility, mortality and migration scenarios.
	It is difficult to state the implications of these projections on global development assistance because the high, medium and low scenarios result in projections of very different sizes. According to the medium scenario, the world population will have stabilised at 9.7 billion by 2050. The low scenario indicates that population will drop to 3.2 billion by 2150 and the high scenario indicates a rise to 24.8 billion by the same year.
	The substantial differences in these scenarios make it very difficult to base any firm development assistance plans on long-range population projections. In the meantime DFID will focus our efforts on achieving the MDGs by 2015 and will then continue to consider the scale of poverty and population projections before setting targets for future milestones.

Demography

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assumptions about population inform his Department's country plan for Ethiopia.

Hilary Benn: DFID Ethiopia's country assistance plan is based on the Government of Ethiopia's Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction Programme (SDPRP). On the basis of current population growth rates, Ethiopia's population will reach 73 million by 2005.
	The SDPRP recognizes that population plays a decisive role in national development. Through the National Population Policy (1993), the Government seeks to maintain a balance between population size and the resource base through, in part, heightened availability and use of contraceptives. A key focus to achieve this is through increasing girls' access to education.
	While DFID does not provide specific sector support to the population programme, in 2003–04 we provided £3 million to the education sector specifically and £30 million for the implementation of the SDPRP.

EU Development Assistance

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the non-governmental organisations involved in the delivery of the 2002 EU development assistance projects to (a) Cuba, (b) the Dominican Republic and (c) Haiti.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The following is a list of the non-governmental organisations with active contracts for development assistance projects with the EU in Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Haiti during 2002.
	(a) Cuba
	Gruppo Di Volontariato Civile
	Brot Fuer Die Welt
	Deutsche Welthungerhilfe eV
	Monimbo-Verein Zur Foerderung Deutsch-Nicaraguanischen Beziehungen
	Handicap International (BE)
	Werkhof, Verein Zur Foerderung Der Selbsthilfe
	Cooperazione Internazionale Sud-sud
	Asociacion Navarra Nuevo Futuro
	Fundacion CODESPA Futuro en Marcha
	Solidaridad para el Desarrollo y la Paz
	Associazionen per la Partecipazione Allo Sviluppo
	Comitato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo Dei Popoli
	Oxfam Solidarité
	Hirugarren Munda Ta Bake—Paz y Tercer Mundo
	Movimiento por la Paz, el Desarme y la Libertad
	Oikos—Cooperacao e Desenvolvimento
	Electricians sans Frontieres
	Frères des Hommes
	CARE France
	Deutsches Rotes Kreuz
	(b) Dominican Republic
	Oxfam Solidarité (Belgium)
	Trade Union Solidarity Centre of Finland
	Deutsche Welthungerhilfe eV (Germany)
	Unity and Cooperation for Development of People (Italy)
	Movimiento por la Paz, el Desarme y la Libertad (Spain)
	Madreselva (Spain)
	Cruz Roja Espanola (Spain)
	Catholic Institute for International Relations (UK)
	Fundacion CODESPA—Futuro en Marcha (Spain)
	Intermon Oxfam (Spain)
	Deutsche Welthungerhilfe eV (Germany)
	(c) Haiti
	Lateinamerika-Zentrum E.V. (Germany)
	PROTOS—Projectgroep Voor Technische Ontwikkelingssamenwerking (Belgium)
	Aide et Action (Consortium)
	Objectif Tiers Mond (Luxembourg)
	Inter Aide (France)
	Movimento Sviluppo E Pace (Italy)
	Partage (Consortium)
	Inter Aide (Consortium)
	Stichting Interkerkelijke Organisatie Voor Onttwikkelingssamenwerking (Netherlands)
	Groupe Developpement (France)
	Oxfam (Consortium)
	Deutsche Welthungerhilfe eV (Germany)
	Médecins du Monde (France)
	Initiative Developpement (Consortium)

Global Fund

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the use of money from the Global Fund to fight (a) malaria, (b) HIV/AIDS and (c) tuberculosis.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Since its inception in January 2002, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has approved proposals amounting to US$2.1 billion and disbursed funds to 227 programmes in 122 countries.
	This funding has been allocated as follows:
	By diseases: 60 per cent. on HIV/AIDS, 24 per cent. on Malaria and 16 per cent. on Tuberculosis.
	By region: 60 per cent. to Africa, 20 per cent. to Asia, Middle East and North Africa, 20 per cent. to Latin America, Caribbean and Eastern Europe.
	By country income: 67 per cent. to low income, 30 per cent. to lower middle income and 3 per cent. to upper middle-income countries.
	The following outcomes (from the first three funding rounds) are expected after five years:
	700,000 people on antiretrovirals, tripling current coverage in developing countries;
	35 million people reached with HIV voluntary counselling and testing services for prevention;
	over one million orphans supported through medical services, education and community care;
	over three million additional tuberculosis cases treated with Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course (DOTS) successfully after diagnosis, tripling the treatment of multi-drug resistant TB globally, with over 8,000 new treatments;
	22 million combination drug treatments for resistant malaria delivered;
	64 million bed nets financed to protect African families from transmission of malaria.
	The Fund is committed to using recipient countries' existing financial management, monitoring and reporting systems wherever possible to increase harmonisation in country-led processes. There is increasing evidence that the Fund is able to bring other donors, government departments and civil society together for joint planning to fight the world's three most devastating diseases.

Mauritania

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on water shortages in Mauritania.

Hilary Benn: Mauritania is a low-income food deficit   country which is vulnerable to drought and desertification. A large proportion of the population relies on agricultural production to satisfy its food and income needs. During drought periods, people have severe difficulties in meeting their food requirements, either through direct production or through recourse to alternative sources of income.
	DFID has provided significant humanitarian assistance to Mauritania in recent years in response to the severe drought and resultant food shortages. In 2002–03 DFID contributed £1 million to the World Food Programme's regional appeal, which covered five countries in the region, but was mainly focused on Mauritania where the   drought situation was most severe. DFID also contributed £0.5 million to an Oxfam appeal focused on the most badly affected areas in the South of the country.
	According to the latest FAO reports the overall food security situation in the country remains satisfactory. However there is a desert locust outbreak currently under way in northern Mauritania which may mean that crop production figures will have to be revised downwards to take account of the impact of possible pest damage.

Overseas Representation

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which countries the Department is represented; how many staff are employed in each location, broken down by (a) UK nationals and (b) locally employed; what the annual cost of maintaining representation in each of the countries was in 2003–04; and what the total expenditure by his Department on overseas representation was in (i) 2001, (ii) 2002 and (iii) 2003.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: holding answer 19 April 2004
	Details of DFID staff, by each location, broken down by (a) non-locally employed (those staff who are not locally employed are not solely UK nationals) and (b) locally employed, are listed in the following table. These figures include secondments to other organisations or projects. Data are not available centrally by country for DFID representation only.
	The table also includes cost figures by country; these are limited to the cost of representation and hence exclude costs associated with external secondments and projects. Where we have been unable to provide an individual country breakdown of expenditure we have included information for the region. These figures represent planned expenditure for 2003–04 and are subject to final outturn revisions.
	Comparable expenditure figures for 2001 and 2002 are not available because in 2003–04 DFID introduced a new definition of administration costs to include costs for staff, travel and allowances that were previously paid from the   programme budget. The change in definition will increase transparency and enable DFID to manage its administrative costs more effectively, but it precludes providing comparable figures for earlier years.
	
		
			 Location Non-locally employed staff Locally employed staff Total Cost of maintaining overseas representation 2003–04  (£ million) 
		
		
			 Afghanistan(21) 9 6 15 0.913 
			 Angola 1 0 1 2.510 
			 Anguilla 2 0 2 (See Barbados) 
			 Bangladesh 25 130 155 7.272 
			 Barbados 10 21 31 2.730 
			 Belgium 1 0 1 0.083 
			 Belize 1 2 3 0.233 
			 Bolivia 2 10 12 0.596 
			 Botswana 1 0 1 0.060 
			 Brazil 4 9 13 1.114 
			 Bulgaria 1 0 1 0.213 
			 Burundi 1 2 3 (See Angola) 
			 Cambodia 2 3 5 1.042 
			 China 20 18 38 3.898 
			 Congo 5 0 5 (See Angola) 
			 DFID Pacific Region 1 0 1 0.490 
			 Thailand (including Burma and Thailand) 15 17 32 2.228 
			 Egypt 1 0 1 0.065 
			 Ethiopia 13 31 44 1.826 
			 France 4 0 4 0.422 
			 Gambia 1 0 1 0.160 
			 Ghana 12 36 48 2.517 
			 Guyana 3 4 7 0.452 
			 Honduras 1 5 6 0.363 
			 India 28 140 168 7.530 
			 Indonesia 5 4 9 0.706 
			 Iraq(22) 7 0 7 0.165 
			 Italy 5 3 8 0.388 
			 Jamaica 2 0 2 0.489 
			 Kazakhstan 1 0 1 0.119 
			 Kenya 16 34 50 3.167 
			 Kosovo 1 5 6 0.384 
			 Kyrgyzstan 1 3 4 0.210 
			 Lesotho 1 0 1 0.180 
			 Malawi 15 51 66 2.392 
			 Moldova 0 3 3 0.133 
			 Montserrat 2 4 6 0.270 
			 Mozambique 14 16 30 2.400 
			 Nepal 16 53 69 2.087 
			 Nigeria 21 61 82 3.691 
			 Nicaragua 3 12 15 0.580 
			 Pakistan(22) 7 17 24 1.509 
			 Palestinian Territories 1 1 2 0.310 
			 Peru 2 6 8 0.564 
			 Romania 1 0 1 0.268 
			 Russia 4 14 18 1.748 
			 Rwanda 8 17 25 (See Angola) 
			 Serbia 1 4 5 0.248 
			 Sierra Leone 7 0 7 1.172 
			 South Africa (including Namibia) 17 54 71 3.924 
			 Sri Lanka 2 3 5 0.562 
			 Sudan 2 0 2 (See Angola) 
			 Switzerland 3 0 3 0.302 
			 Tanzania 15 29 44 3.141 
			 Uganda 21 35 56 3.588 
			 Ukraine 2 8 10 0.657 
			 USA 6 0 6 0.088 
			 Vietnam 11 18 29 1.380 
			 Yemen 1 1 2 0.078 
			 Zambia 13 20 33 2.500 
			 Zimbabwe 7 19 26 1.707 
			 Grand Totals 405 929 1,334 77.824 
		
	
	(21) West Asia records figures for Afghanistan and Pakistan together, the estimate of separate office costs is therefore an estimate for 2003–04
	(22) UK presence in Iraq since November 2003. DFID staff costs recorded only, support costs were met by the US Military for 2003–04.

Pakistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of (a) current and (b) projected trends in the availability, measured in hectares per person, of farmland in Pakistan.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: None. However, according to the Food and Agricultural Organisation statistics 1 in 2001 the agricultural area in Pakistan was 27.1 million hectares and the agricultural area per capita was 0.19 hectares.
	 1 Source:
	faostat.fao.org

Pakistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of (a) current and (b) projected trends in the availability of fresh water in Pakistan.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: According to a World Health Organisation and the United Nations Children's Fund assessment, data on the percentage of availability of improved water supplies in Pakistan is as follows:
	
		Percentage
		
			  Urban Rural Total 
		
		
			 1990 96 77 83 
			 2000 95 87 90 
		
	
	Source:
	WHO-UNICEF http://unstats.un.org
	The Millennium Development Goal target for Pakistan for total availability of improved water supplies by 2,015 corresponds to 92 per cent. 1 .
	To assist the Government of Pakistan improve access to water and sanitation, DFID is undertaking a £6.5 million five year Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project in North West Frontier Province in support of the devolved government process, which will benefit a total of 1 million persons. Water is also one of the key sectors in which DFID is engaged in Faisalabad in Punjab province as part of a programme of support to the decentralised government system for the delivery of basic services.
	1  World Bank Development Indicators

Southern Africa

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate his Department has made of the future food aid requirements in Southern Africa.

Hilary Benn: UN Crop and Food Supply Assessment teams arrive in Mozambique, Malawi, Swaziland and Zimbabwe this week to analyse the food supply situation with a view to establishing future food aid requirements in these countries in the coming year. A team will arrive in Lesotho in mid-May to undertake similar work. Final reports are expected in early June.
	The Southern African Development Community's (SADC) Vulnerability Assessment Committees, supported by DFID, have already started fieldwork in these countries. Their results will also feed into the UN analyses. Linking these two assessments of food insecurity will provide a clearer picture of supply and demand for food in affected countries, and a more accurate assessment of household food shortages and the levels of food aid needed to respond to acute needs.
	DFID is also working at both country and regional levels to address the longer-term causes of regional food insecurity in Southern Africa. These programmes take a developmental approach to food insecurity, and aim to improve information on vulnerability and response, coupled with measures that enhance poor people's access to food in the longer-term.

St. Helena

Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will assess the advantages and disadvantages of using the private finance initiative process to secure (a) air access for St. Helena and (b) safe docking facilities for ships calling at St. Helena.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The Government's position on maintaining access for St. Helena was set out in my Written Statement to the House on 19 April 2004, Official Report, column 1WS. As part of planned feasibility and other investigatory work, the possibility of a private finance initiative will be included among options that will be considered.
	The position regarding docking facilities for ships in St. Helena is different. At present, as the hon. Member will know from his own visit to the island last year, visiting ships anchor in Jamestown Bay and all passengers and cargo are transferred in smaller craft to and from the wharf. In recognition of St. Helena's continuing concern over these arrangements, we have agreed to support further investigatory work to review the options for improving them. The St. Helena Government is preparing terms of reference. We cannot yet speculate on whether a private finance initiative might or might not have a role in any solution that eventually may prove to be technically and financially acceptable.

Sudan

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the security and humanitarian situation in Sudan since the signing of the peace agreement; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: A Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement between the Government of Sudan, the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement was signed on 8 April. Humanitarian and Security Assessments in Darfur are being carried out at present by our UN and non-governmental organisation (NGO) partners. However, access is still limited in Darfur due to general insecurity and travel restrictions. It is therefore still too early to be able to give precise humanitarian indicators, as agencies have not yet been able to access large parts of the population. However the situation is clearly extremely serious.
	In response to the crisis in Darfur DFID has committed about £9.5 million, through United Nations (UN) agencies and international NGOs. DFID has also provided four humanitarian affairs officers to assist the UN response for three months. Three of these are based in Darfur and will, among other things, undertake assessments of humanitarian needs.

Zimbabwe

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the latest humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe;
	(2)  what progress is being made to ensure that humanitarian aid in Zimbabwe goes to those in most need;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on levels of (a) cholera and (b) dysentery in Zimbabwe.

Hilary Benn: Large numbers of Zimbabweans continue to be in humanitarian need. This is largely the result of the Government of Zimbabwe's misguided economic policies, including the poorly implemented fast track land programme, exacerbated by the HIV/AIDS epidemic and erratic rainfall. At least eight million Zimbabweans, over half the population, have been receiving donor-funded food aid in recent months, in advance of the imminent harvest, which should improve food security for the majority of Zimbabweans.
	The crop forecast is not yet finalised, but the harvest may cover less than half of the country's food needs over the next 12 months. The Government of Zimbabwe has stated its intention to import grain to meet the national food deficit. Given, the Government's economic difficulties, this may be unrealistic. In the meantime, the Government say that they will not decide for some months whether to ask for further international food aid after June. Households most likely to be in need of assistance, either food or other resources, will be those with no access to land or income that are also affected by HIV/AIDS or include orphans, disabled children and the elderly.
	DFID Zimbabwe provides financial support to the UN system for rigorous monitoring and evaluation of donor-funded humanitarian programmes, including both the effective targeting of those in the most need, and ensuring that there is no political interference in the process. Monitoring and evaluation reports are regularly provided to donors and discussed at meetings with the United Nations, non-governmental organisations, civil society and other donors. DFID remains confident that the humanitarian relief provided by the UK reaches those members of society who are most in need of assistance.
	According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Health, there have been 77 cases of cholera and 9,860 cases of dysentery since January. However, the number could be much higher due to the decline in surveillance. Many cases are not reported as people cannot afford to go to hospitals or hospitals are failing to report reasons for death.
	DFID has provided funds to Save the Children UK to respond to cholera outbreaks. The aim is to ensure that the disease does not spread further and that the communities at risk are assisted with soap and other hygiene items, as well as water purification tablets and oral dehydration supplies to treat diarrhoea.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Support Agency

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much money due to clients of the Child Support Agency is held by the Agency owing to computer errors; and how much money has been held in each of the last six months in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) the Angus constituency.

Chris Pond: holding answer 26 April 2004
	The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Michael Weir, dated 27 April 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary questions about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked, how much money due to clients of the Child Support Agency is held by the Agency owing to computer errors; and how much money has been held in each of the last six months in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) the Angus constituency.
	I do not have the information that you seek. I can say that at 31 March 2004 we were holding a total of £368,341 representing monies received from the non-resident parent that had not yet been paid out to the parent with care. Some will reflect computer errors but a significant element will represent payments received that are awaiting clearance by our bankers.

Child Support Agency

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much compensation has been paid to clients of the Child Support Agency owing to delays caused by computer errors in each of the last 12 months in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) the Angus constituency.

Chris Pond: holding answer 26 April 2004
	The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Michael Weir, dated 27 April 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary questions about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked, how much compensation has been paid to clients of the Child Support Agency owing to delays caused by computer errors in each of the last 12 months in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) the Angus constituency.
	I do not have the information you seek. I can say that in the year to 31 March 2004 a total of around £2 million was paid to clients of the Agency by way of financial redress for maladministration. This will include maladministration resulting from computer errors outside our direct control.

Civil Servants

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list for each civil service grade within his (a) Department and (b) Department's Executive agencies, the total number of staff employed, broken down by (i) gender, (ii) ethnic group and (iii) age group; and how many are registered disabled.

Maria Eagle: The information showing the position as at 29 February 2004 is in the tables. The numbers shown are expressed in headcount not whole-time equivalent terms.
	(a) Department for Work and Pensions excluding agencies (excluding Jobcentre Plus, the Pension Service, Child Support Agency and Appeals Service):
	
		
			  SCS G6 G7 SEO HEO EO AO AA Total 
		
		
			 (i) Gender  
			 Male 92 128 392 547 1,055 1,957 2,107 1,119 7,397 
			 Female 51 85 278 469 1,222 3,422 4,807 1,737 12,071 
			   
			 (ii) Ethnic group   
			 Asian <5 <5 13 18 32 191 308 164 727 
			 Black <5 <5 <5 5 25 87 137 54 314 
			 Chinese <5 <5 <5 <5 <5 10 8 <5 28 
			 Mixed/Other <5 <5 5 6 23 70 96 43 248 
			 White 109 162 530 833 1,862 4,218 5,158 2,018 14,890 
			 No/Unclear Response 30 46 118 152 332 803 1,207 573 3,261 
			   
			 (iii) Disability   
			 Disabled 8 6 17 31 85 261 288 92 788 
			 Non Disabled 132 207 648 974 2,169 5,082 6,602 2,759 18,573 
			 Unknown <5 <5 5 11 23 36 24 5 107 
			   
			 (iv) Age group   
			 <20 — — — — — — 53 136 189 
			 20<25 — — — <5 48 233 666 480 1,429 
			 25<30 — — 46 26 135 502 885 278 1,872 
			 30<35 5 18 65 71 237 831 953 259 2,439 
			 35<40 19 26 103 189 452 1,013 1,061 260 3,123 
			 40<45 26 34 120 244 486 989 968 333 3,200 
			 45<50 33 52 131 197 426 799 812 286 2,736 
			 50<55 36 54 133 183 313 590 663 341 2,313 
			 55<60 22 25 71 89 160 342 649 314 1,672 
			 60<65 <5 <5 — 15 20 77 200 165 483 
			 65+ — — <5 — — <5 <5 <5 12 
		
	
	(b) Department's Executive agencies (Jobcentre Plus, the Pension Service, Child Support Agency and Appeals Service):
	
		
			  SCS G6 G7 SEO HEO EO AO AA Total 
		
		
			 (i) Gender  
			 Male 61 151 307 824 2,320 12,344 16,238 2,751 34,996 
			 Female 28 100 246 938 3,693 27,444 44,946 5,386 82,781 
			 (ii) Ethnic group  
			 Asian <5 <5 <5 25 97 1,252 2,817 433 4,629 
			 Black <5 <5 <5 9 68 870 1,426 172 2,548 
			 Chinese <5 <5 <5 <5 <5 48 99 16 165 
			 Mixed/Other <5 <5 5 14 74 514 919 132 1,660 
			 White 71 219 474 1,463 4,862 29,777 44,210 6,258 87,334 
			 No/Unclear Response 16 29 69 250 911 7,327 11,713 1,126 21,441 
			   
			 (iii) Disability  
			 Disabled <5 13 19 88 366 2,593 2,799 429 6,310 
			 Non Disabled 82 228 506 1,605 5,466 34,944 55,008 7,595 105,434 
			 Unknown <5 10 28 69 181 2251 3377 113 6,033 
			   
			 (iv) Age group  
			 <20 — — — — — 7 619 303 929 
			 20<25 — — — — 14 723 6,523 1,188 8,448 
			 25<30 — — <5 17 90 2,537 7,317 713 10,675 
			 30<35 <5 <5 23 78 475 4,820 7,989 690 14,080 
			 35<40 8 16 57 253 1,128 7,754 10,055 872 20,143 
			 40<45 17 33 136 438 1,522 8,412 9,373 935 20,866 
			 45<50 21 70 133 468 1,334 7,201 7,422 922 17,571 
			 50<55 25 88 121 326 852 4,763 5,909 1,042 13,126 
			 55<60 16 36 76 156 528 2,936 4,659 984 9,391 
			 60<65 — 5 6 26 69 619 1,291 476 2,492 
			 65+ — — — — <5 16 27 12 56 
		
	
	Source:
	DWP payroll.
	Information on ethnicity and disability relates to data provided by staff on a voluntary basis only.

Departmental Relocation

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work   and Pensions 
	(1)  what aspects of the work in his Department's offices in (a) Portsmouth, (b) Southampton and (c) the Isle of Wight have been (i) relocated and (ii) centralised in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how many of his Department's offices have been closed in (a) Portsmouth, (b) Southampton and (c) the Isle of Wight in each of the last three years.

Jane Kennedy: Jobcentre Plus and the Pension Service are modernising the services we provide to our customers. This modernisation is increasing the number of places where people can get information about work and benefits. All decisions made about the centralisation or relocation of work are informed by the particular needs of their customers; nationally, regionally and at district level. For example, the Pension Service have centralised and relocated benefit processing based on customer feedback that pensioners prefer to make contact by phone rather than calling at an office.
	In Portsmouth, no Jobcentre Plus offices, Jobcentres or Social Security offices have been relocated, centralised or closed.
	In Southampton, the processing of incapacity benefit and jobseekers allowance claims has been relocated from Southampton Social Security office to Totton Customer Service Centre. No other Jobcentre Plus offices, Jobcentres or Social Security offices in Southampton have been relocated, centralised or closed.
	In the Isle of Wight, the processing of incapacity benefit and jobseekers allowance claims has been relocated from Fareham Social Security office to Isle of Wight offices. The processing of Income Support claims has been relocated from the Isle of Wight to Fareham Jobcentre Plus. All Jobseeker Direct work has been relocated to the Dundee Contact Centre. No other Jobcentre Plus offices, Jobcentres or Social Security offices on the Isle of Wight have been relocated, centralised or closed.
	All pensions processing and inquiries for Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight have been relocated to the Wrexham Pensions Centre. Local Pension Service teams are based in Portsmouth, Southampton' and Newport.

Disability Appeal Tribunal

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average administrative cost was in 2003–04 of an appeal to a disability appeal   tribunal on a disability living allowance decision.

Maria Eagle: holding answer 23 April 2004
	This is a matter for Christina Townsend, Chief Executive of the Appeals Service. She will reply to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Christina Townsend to Mr. Hywel Williams, dated 27 April 2004
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question regarding the average administrative cost of an appeal to an appeal tribunal on a disability living allowance decision in 2003–04.
	We estimate that the average cost of processing a disability appeal during the year 2003–04 was £233.
	I hope this reply is helpful.

Health and Safety Executive

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total cost is of (a) building and (b) moving into the new Health and Safety Executive (HSE) building at Bootle; and what the total income from HSE priced publications was in 2003–04.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 26 April 2004
	HSE's new building at Bootle, Merseyside is being procured under the Private Finance Initiative. Once it is available for occupation in 2005 HSE will pay an annual unitary charge for fully serviced office space of £7 million (2003 prices). The purchase of the site from Sefton MBC cost £1.3 million and removal plus IT transitional costs are likely to cost £1 million. The total income from HSE priced publications was £5.7 million in 2003–04.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 15 March 2004 regarding a DWP branch of the PCS Union.

Maria Eagle: I replied to the hon. Member today.

Safety Representatives and Safety Committees

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what income was received in each year between 2000 and 2003 from the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees publication.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 26 April 2004
	The income received from the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations publication is as follows, by calendar year.
	
		
			  Income received (£) 
		
		
			 2000 53,676.00 
			 2001 46,951.20 
			 2002 49,140.00 
			 2003 42,109.20

Secondments

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what secondments (a) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (b) Deloitte and Touche, (c) Ernst and Young and (d) KPMG have made to his Department since 2001; for what (i) periods and (ii) tasks the secondments were made; whether secondments of staff from his Department have been made to those firms; and for what (A) periods and (B) tasks.

Maria Eagle: Secondments are part of the Interchange Initiative which promotes the exchange of people and good practice between the Civil Service and other organisations. Before an Interchange can occur all parties must be satisfied that no conflict of interest arises.
	The available information is in the tables. Information for 2003–04 is not yet available.
	
		Secondments to DWP
		
			 Company Number Period Tasks 
		
		
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers 0 — — 
			 Deloitte and Touche 0 — — 
			 Ernst and Young 0 — — 
			 KPMG 1 3 October 2002 to 6 June 2003 Head of the National Employment Panel's Performance Committee Team 
		
	
	
		Secondments from DWP
		
			 Company Number Period Tasks 
		
		
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers 0 — — 
			 Deloitte and Touche 165 2001–02 Piloting welfare to work reform options for clients of working age, as part of the One project. 
			 Deloitte and Touche 1 1 April 2002– 10 May 2002 Piloting welfare to work reform options for clients of working age, as part of the One project. 
			 Ernst and Young 0 — — 
			 KPMG 0 — —

Temporary Staff

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff the Department employs on a temporary basis through employment agencies; what percentage this is of total staff employed; and how much the Department paid employment agencies to supply temporary staff in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04 to the most recent date for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

HEALTH

Local Government Finance

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional financial resources have been made available to local authorities in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05 to enable them to perform their role of scrutinising health trusts.

Rosie Winterton: The Government have given powers to local authorities to review and scrutinise health services as part of their wider responsibilities to promote the economic, environmental and social well-being of local people. The Department believes it is right that local authorities prioritise their resources and indeed activities to fit locally identified needs. Health scrutiny is no different.
	Central Government funding to support local authorities in 2003–04 was approximately £70 billion. For 2004–05, this amount will increase by six per cent. Funding to support overview and scrutiny committees should be seen in this wider context.
	The Department is conscious of the need to enable local authorities to undertake their new powers as effectively as possible. It is for this reason that a one-off payment of £2.25 billion has been made to the Centre for Public Scrutiny to develop and support health scrutiny, and to ensure that lessons from good practice are learned and disseminated.

Cancelled Operations (Weston Area)

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations were cancelled by the Weston Area Health NHS Trust in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: Information on cancelled operations for each national health service trust is available for each quarter from 2001–02. Prior to this, information was collected for each health authority. Both are available in the Library.

Children's Continence

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment has been made of how children with bladder and bowel problems impact on family life;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the   financial cost to families with children who have nocturnal enuresis.

Stephen Ladyman: It is estimated that continence conditions affect over 500,000 children and young people over the age of five years and it is well established that these conditions reduce children's social opportunities and impact upon family life. Information on the financial cost to families with children who have nocturnal enuresis is not collected centrally.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what extra funding is planned to be devoted to the implementation of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Stephen Ladyman: Funding to implement the guidance and recommendations of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is not separately identified in primary care trust (PCT) allocations.
	The national health service is currently receiving the largest sustained increase in funding in its history, so the question of affordability of NICE recommendations should not be an issue. The total of PCT allocations is £45 billion for 2003–04, £49.3 billion for 2004–05 and £53.9 billion for 2005–06. This represents an increase of £12.7 billion, or an average of 30.8 per cent. over the three years 2003–04 to 2005–06.

EU Enlargement

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to ensure the adequacy of training of health (a) professionals and (b) other workers originating from the EU accession countries, who wish to work in the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: We are in regular contact with the European Commission and the other member states on   this issue. The Commission's assessment is that training in all acceding countries will meet minimum requirements after 1 May 2004. If the qualifications awarded by the acceding countries do not meet minimum requirements, the regulatory bodies are entitled to require proof of recent and substantial practice experience as a condition of recognition. Where such proof is not available, they are entitled to assess applicants on a case-by-case basis.
	We have provided advice to the national health service on European enlargement and the implications for health professions. Copies have been placed in the Library and are also available on the Department's website at www. dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/International/European Union. Employers must ensure that applicants have suitable qualifications, skills and experience for the particular post they are applying for (including language skills), and can take into account references, evidence of good standing and criminal record checks where appropriate.

Internet Medical Companies

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what controls the General Medical Council has introduced to ensure that doctors who service internet medical companies provide patient consultations.

John Hutton: The General Medical Council (GMC) published guidance entitled, "Providing advice and medical services on-line or by telephone", in November 1998. This can be found on the GMC website at www.gmc-uk.org/standards and this information has been placed in the Library.

Maternity Services (Buckinghamshire)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the risk assessment carried out by clinicians in relation to the transfer of maternity services from Wycombe Hospital to Stoke Mandeville proposed in the Shaping Health Services document published by the Mid and South Bucks Health Community was carried out.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 22 April 2004
	In line with our policy on "Shifting the Balance of Power", the responsibility for the provision of local services now rest with local trusts. It is now for primary care trusts, in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services, based on the specialised knowledge they have of the local community.
	However, I have been informed that a range of activities have been undertaken to date to evaluate the risks associated with a range of options for configuring paediatric and maternity services within the Buckinghamshire Hospitals National Health Service Trust.
	These include:
	A review of a range of literature and evidence including the guidance from the relevant Royal Colleges.
	The establishment of a women and children's project group as a sub group of the "Shaping Health Services" project board, which involves a wider range of stakeholders including the National Childbirth Trust and patient/public representatives, and has met on a regular basis since December 2003.
	A range of meetings with the senior staff, consultants, nurses and midwives, since September 2003.
	A half-day workshop with consultants, nurses, midwives and managers.
	External expert support from Mr. Nick Naftelin, obstetrics and gynaecology consultant, who works for the Modernisation Agency and has advised throughout the process.
	Visits to other units to learn about other models of care.

Minor Injuries Treatment (Dorset)

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the current capacity is of minor injury units in Dorset.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 26 April 2004
	Information on the current capacity of minor injury units in Dorset is not collected centrally. However, the number of attendances in accident and emergency departments in Dorset between October and December 2003 are shown in the table.
	
		Total attendances at accident and emergency departments, minor injury units (MUIs) and walk in centres (WICs) by type, NHS organisations in Dorset—2003–04
		
			 Quarter 3 Type 1 Type 2 Type 3 Type 3 Total 
			 Organisation Major A&E Speciality A&E Other A&E/MUIs WICs All types 
		
		
			 South and East Dorset PCT 0 0 1,378 0 1,378 
			 South West Dorset PCT 0 0 1,342 0 1,342 
			 West Dorset General Hospitals Trust 7,369 0 2,828 0 10,197 
			 Poole Hospitals NHS Trust 12,470 0 0 0 12,470 
			 Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Trust 19,740 3,976 0 0 23,716 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health dataset QMAE

Minor Injuries Treatment (Dorset)

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are for improving the current provision of treatment for minor injuries in the Poole and Wimborne area.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 26 April 2004
	In line with our policy on "Shifting the Balance of Power", the responsibility for the provision of local services now rest with local trusts. It is now for primary care trusts (PCTs), in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services, based on the specialised knowledge they have of the local community.
	However, I understand that there was recently a consultation exercise relating to the future of minor injury provision in Wimborne, Dorset. Consultation is now officially over and this will be discussed at the South and East Dorset PCT board meeting on 19 May 2004.

NHS Professionals

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what percentage of NHS trusts are using NHS Professionals; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what progress has been made towards the target of all NHS trusts using NHS Professionals by April 2005; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: At the current time, NHS Professionals provide services to 91, or 34 per cent. of national health service trusts and 37, or 12 per cent. of primary care trusts (PCTs). NHS bodies have been encouraged by the Department to engage with the special health authority to understand the benefits it can offer for the cost effective management of temporary staffing. It is hoped and anticipated therefore, that the number of NHS trusts and PCTs using NHS Professionals will steadily expand.

Occupational Health

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of companies in England he estimates have an occupational health department; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.
	The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) commissioned research by the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) 'Survey of Use of Occupational Health Support' published in June 2002 which showed that 3 per cent. of all companies throughout the country provided OH support. The definition of occupational health support used for this purpose is one which includes hazard identification, risk management, provision of information, modifying work activities, training on occupational health-related issues, measuring workplace hazards, monitoring trends in health.

Paediatric Staff

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many paediatric staff, broken down by medical category, were (a) recruited and (b) employed by hospital trusts in the south-east region of England in (i) 2001, (ii) 2002 and (iii) 2003.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 22 April 2004
	Information on the number of medical staff working in trusts in the south-east region of England in the specified years, by staff group and by the paediatric group of specialties has been placed in the Library.

Poole Hospital (A&E Unit)

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the latest average waiting time is for patients with minor injuries at Poole Hospital's Accident and Emergency Unit.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 26 April 2004
	The average waiting times for patients with minor injuries at Poole Hospital's accident and emergency department is not collected centrally.
	However, the latest figures for Poole Hospitals national health service trust are shown in the table for the number of patients spending over four hours in accident and emergency. These include all patients, and not just those with minor injuries.
	
		Total time spent in accident and emergency from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge—Poole Hospitals NHS Trust, 2003–04, October to December (quarter 3)—all accident and emergency/minor injury units/walk-in centres (type 1,2,3)
		
			  Quarter Total attendances Percentage of patients who spent less than four hours in accident and emergency 
		
		
			 2003–04 3 12,470 90.6 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health dataset QMAE. Published 11 March 2004.

Prison Health Service

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 8 April 2004, ref. 164612, on the Prison Health Service, for what purposes the joint letter was issued; and for what reasons the decision was taken to issue the joint letter at that time.

Stephen Ladyman: The joint letter was issued as part of a continuing programme of partnership work between the Department and the Prison Service to improve the full range of health services for prisoners. Ambulance and paramedic access had been identified as an area on which further guidance could be helpful to local services. The letter was issued to encourage the strengthening of local protocols between prisons and their local ambulance trusts and the sharing of any existing good practice.

Prison Hospital Places

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many high security prison hospital places have been established since June 2001.

Stephen Ladyman: There were 159 in-patient beds in health care centres in high security prisons in June 2001 and 183 in December 2003. The figures are not directly comparable because an additional establishment was brought within the high security prison estate between those two dates. The number of in-patient beds in the health care centres of the eight prisons that constituted the high security estate in June 2001 had fallen to 145 by December 2003.

Residential Care/Nursing Beds

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) residential care beds and (b) nursing beds have been lost since 1997 in (i) the south west region, (ii) the area served by the Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority and (iii) the area served by the Weston Primary Care Trust.

Rosie Winterton: The number of residential and nursing places in the south west region and Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority is shown in the table as at 31 March for 1997 to 2001.
	Figures for later years have been collected by the National Care Standards Commission, but comparable details broken by region are not available.
	Information on the number of care home places in the area served by the Weston Primary Care Trust is not centrally available.
	
		Number of residential and nursing places in the south west region and Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority, 1997 to 2001
		
			 At 31 March 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Residential places  
			 South west region 47,610 47,920 (23)46,240 45,760 44,790 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority 15,510 15,230 (23)15,200 15,640 15,570 
			   
			 Nursing places  
			 South west region 26,080 26,360 25,930 24,660 24,070 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority 11,110 11,500 11,300 10,620 10,250 
		
	
	(23) Includes estimated data.
	Source:
	RA and RH(N) form A.

Waiting Lists/Times

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes there have been to NHS waiting list times for the residents of Weston-super-Mare in the last seven years.

Rosie Winterton: This Government are committed to reducing waiting times.
	In 1997, the maximum waiting time for inpatient treatment was 18 months. The maximum waiting time   for patients waiting for their first outpatient appointment with a consultant was over six months.
	From 1 April 2004, these inpatient and outpatient maximum waiting times have been reduced to nine months and 17 weeks respectively.
	These improvements apply nationally and benefit the residents of Weston-super-Mare.

Waiting Lists/Times

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the evidential basis is for his statement that about only 20 or 30 people in England are waiting more than nine months for an NHS procedure.

John Hutton: holding answer 22 April 2004
	The priorities and planning framework for 2003 to 2006 includes the target of achieving a maximum wait of nine months for all inpatient waiters by March 2004. The Department asked strategic health authorities for their estimate of the end-March position and it is this information that was used for the statement. The final figures will be published shortly in the chief executive's report.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what co-ordination took place with the United Kingdom senior representative on the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq concerning the closure of all roads out of Iraq.

Bill Rammell: Not all roads out of Iraq have been closed. Any road closures are on the basis of operational decisions taken by Coalition commanders in Iraq. The UK Special Representative to Iraq routinely engages in discussions with the Coalition Provisional Authority about security and other policy issues.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the ownership of the Iraq Central Bank.

Bill Rammell: The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) issued in March 2004 a new law governing the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI). A copy of this law, and the Order to which it is attached, has been placed in the Library of the House. The new law provides for an independent central bank whose objectives are to achieve and maintain domestic price stability, foster and maintain a market-based financial system and promote sustainable growth, employment and prosperity. The CBI is required to maintain its independence from the Government of Iraq and, except for the provisions set out in the law, will not take instructions from any other persons or entity, including government entities.
	The Governor, Deputy Governors, and other members of the board of the CBI are nominated by the Appointing Authority (which until the transfer of sovereignty on 30 June is the CPA in consultation with the Iraqi Governing Council) and their appointments confirmed in the legislature. The CBI is required to report to the Appointing Authority, the Ministry of Finance and the legislature on its operations.
	The new CBI law has been reviewed by the Iraqi Governing Council, acting on the recommendation of its Economic and Finance Committee. The law has also been reviewed by the International Monetary Fund and was promulgated pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1483, which calls upon the CPA to promote economic reconstruction and the conditions for sustainable development in Iraq.

Iraq

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implementation of a unified legal system in Iraq.

Bill Rammell: The Kurdistan Regional Government Administered Areas (KRG Administered Areas) currently have a separate court system from the rest of Iraq. However, the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL), produced by the Iraqi Governing Council, establishes a Federal Supreme Court. The Court will consist of nine members, chosen from individuals nominated by the Higher Judicial Council which under the TAL will supervise the judiciary outside the KRG Administered Areas, in consultation with the regional Judicial Councils in the KRG Administered Areas. The Federal Supreme Court will have original and exclusive jurisdiction in legal proceedings between the Iraqi Transitional Government and the regional governments and governorate and municipal administrations. It will also have jurisdiction to review and declare as inconsistent with the TAL any law, regulation or directive issued by the federal or regional governments, the governorate or municipal administrations, or local administrations. This is of course an Iraqi led process although the UK is providing assistance for the training of judges, prosecutors and lawyers and will continue to consider requests for assistance in building the capacity of the Iraqi justice sector.

Iraq

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the (a) fate and (b) whereabouts of everyone held in custody in Iraq.

Bill Rammell: The Coalition is holding around 9,000 detainees. (Precise figures vary as people are released and arrested daily). They include prisoners of war, security detainees and criminal detainees (held under Iraqi court order). Detainees are held at a number of locations throughout Iraq. The main US administered facility is at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad. The Coalition Provisional Authority is working to ensure a better flow of information to the relatives of detainees through recently established information centres. The Detainee Review and Appeal Board reviewed the cases of more than 3,000 detainees in February and March and released more than 2,000. This process is continuing. POWs and security detainees are visited regularly by the International Committee of the Red   Cross (ICRC) in accordance with the Geneva Conventions.
	As of 1 April the UK was responsible for 85 detainees at an internment facility near Basra. UK forces inform the families of interned persons within 24 hours of an arrest. The case of each security detainee is reviewed after 10, 28 and thereafter every 90 days to determine whether they continue to pose an imperative threat to security. The UK internment facility near Basra is subject to regular inspection by the ICRC who are given full and unrestricted access to the detainees.

Iraq

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to whom the Coalition will hand over powers in Iraq on 30 June 2004; and how members of the successor authority will be chosen.

Bill Rammell: As envisaged in the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL) the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) and the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) will be replaced on 30 June with an Iraqi Interim Government. The structures and powers of the Interim Government are currently the focus of consultations by Lakhdar Brahimi (UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Iraq) with Iraqis. Mr. Brahimi has outlined his initial proposals to appoint, after thorough consultations with Iraqis and the CPA, a tripartite Presidency, a technocratic Cabinet of Ministers headed by a Prime Minister and after 30 June to hold a national conference to elect an advisory council. He is due to return to Iraq in coming weeks to continue his consultations and to develop his proposals. We welcome these proposals and look forward to working with the UN and the IGC to forge a consensus on the structures and powers of the Interim Government, which can then be enshrined in an annexe to the TAL.

Iraq

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what powers will be handed over by the Coalition in Iraq on 30 June 2004; and what powers will be retained.

Bill Rammell: The Iraqi Interim Government established on 30 June will be an internationally recognised sovereign government, which will replace the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Iraqi Governing Council. Its powers will be circumscribed by the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL) agreed by the Iraqi Governing Council on 8 March and by an annexe to the TAL, specifying the structures and powers of the institutions of the Interim Government, which is currently being discussed by Iraqis in consultation with Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Iraq.
	We anticipate a continued need for a Multinational Force (MNF) after 30 June to work with the Iraqi Security Forces to ensure stability in Iraq. Most Iraqis continue to recognise the necessity of this. Discussions are underway between Iraqis and the coalition on the arrangements under which the MNF will operate after 30 June.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is intended that the political administration that takes over the governance of Iraq on 1 July 2004 will be empowered toensure the removal of foreign troops on Iraqi territory.

Bill Rammell: Discussions are continuing on arrangements for the Multinational Force after the transfer of power on 30 June.

Brazil

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the refusal of Brazil to allow access for inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to its uranium enrichment plant.

Denis MacShane: The Government understand that negotiations are continuing between the Government of Brazil and the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding the appropriate safeguards to be applied to Brazil's uranium enrichment facilities. We are not aware of access having been denied to inspectors.

Departmental Employment Policy

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many locally-engaged employees his Department has employed in overseas countries in each year since 1997.

Bill Rammell: The number of locally engaged staff employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in overseas countries in each year since 2000 is as follows.
	
		
			  Number of staff 
		
		
			 2000 8,794 
			 2001 8,771 
			 2002 9,156 
			 2003 9,471 
		
	
	The above information is based on the authorised establishment i.e. jobs not headcount expressed as full time equivalents
	Numbers for the years 1997 to 1999 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Dominican Republic

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK citizens are in prison in the Dominican Republic.

Chris Mullin: Date answered 27 April 2004
	At present, there is one British Citizen and two British Overseas Territories Citizens (both from Bermuda) in prison in the Dominican Republic.

Dominican Republic

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of the Dominican Republic to seek the release from prison of Miss Marianne Telfer, of Colchester; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: Since Miss Telfer's arrest in February, both she and her family have been receiving all appropriate consular assistance from our Consular Directorate in London and our Embassy in Santo Domingo.
	Our Ambassador in Santo Domingo called on the Attorney General on 13 April to register our continuing interest in Miss Telfer's case and sought clarification of the next steps. Our Ambassador also met officials from Fair Trials Abroad during their recent visit to the Dominican Republic in connection with her arrest.
	Miss Telfer's lawyers have requested a re-hearing of her Habeus Corpus appeal. We will continue to monitor the case at the highest levels and provide the Telfer family with all possible consular assistance.

European Constitution

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the proposed European constitution takes into consideration cultural and religious diversity.

Denis MacShane: Yes.

Gibraltar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will undertake to give the people of Gibraltar the opportunity to vote in the proposed referendum on the EU constitution.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 26 April 2004
	The Government are currently considering this matter.

Middle East

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his Israeli counterparts in respect of the killing of Abdel-Aziz Al-Rantissi in Gaza City on 17 April 2004 as a result of a missile fired by an Israeli military helicopter.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has repeatedly said that the Israeli policy of   targeted assassinations is illegal, unjustified and counter-productive. He reiterated this after the killing of Abdul Aziz al-Rantissi. Both parties must refrain from actions that may further escalate tensions, including any more such killings.

Money Laundering (Gulf States)

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support the Government give to efforts to tackle money laundering in the Gulf States.

Bill Rammell: The Government support international efforts to counter money laundering, in the Gulf as elsewhere, through our membership of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The FATF sets the international standards on anti-money laundering measures and monitors members' progress in implementing the necessary measures through a process of mutual evaluation.
	We welcome the positive steps taken recently by the Gulf States, and others in the region, to establish a FATF-style regional body. If approved by political leaders, this will include all Gulf States in a FATF-style process and will allow for greater regional ownership of anti-money laundering efforts.
	The Government also provide financial and technical assistance on a bilateral basis. In March this year, we provided an independent expert to take part in a joint IMF-World Bank financial sector report on the UAE.

Under-12 Concession

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when information on the decision to withdraw the concession for under-12s to join a parent in the UK was posted on the Foreign Office website.

Chris Mullin: UKvisas do not keep a log of each change that is made to their website. However, the webpage containing procedures for settlement entry of children, and the concession for under-12s, was last updated on 12 February 2004. The information was therefore posted before 12 February 2004.

Western Sahara

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with the Spanish Government their policy on the Western Sahara.

Bill Rammell: The Government have consistently supported the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and James Baker, his Personal Envoy, to find a solution to the dispute over Western Sahara. We are awaiting the Secretary-General's next report on the Western Sahara, due for release this month. There are currently no plans to discuss with the Spanish Government their policy on the Western Sahara.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adult Literacy/Numeracy (Manchester)

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what public funding has been spent on adult (a) literacy and (b) numeracy in Manchester, Gorton in each of the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: The estimated total spend on Skills For Life (the Government's strategy for literacy, language and numeracy needs of all post-16 learners from pre-entry level up to and including level 2) and on   Key Skills (essential skills of communication, application of number and information technology), from April 2001 to July 2003, in the Greater Manchester Learning and Skills Council (LSC) area is set out in the following table:
	
		£ thousand
		
			  Basic skills Key skills 
		
		
			 April 2001 to July 2001(24) 8,925 2,598 
			 August 2001 to July 2002 15,369 3,586 
			 August 2002 to July 2003 27,258 4,210 
		
	
	(24) The figures for April to July 2001 include costs incurred from August 2000 on learning aims continuing into April 2001.
	From the information available to the LSC it has not been feasible to obtain estimates at constituency level or   separate figures by subject without incurring disproportionate cost. Likewise it has not been feasible to obtain comparable figures for periods before April 2001 when the Skills for Life strategy was launched and the LSC was formed, but information shows it was considerably less than at present.

Advanced Vocational Certificate

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils (a) were enrolled to take, (b) were awarded a pass in and (c) have dropped out from the advanced vocational certificate of education course, in each subject in each year since 2002.

Stephen Twigg: The figures in Table 1 and Table 2 are derived from data collected annually for the Secondary School and College Performance Tables.
	
		Table 1: Entries and passes at the Vocational Certificate of Education (advanced level) by students of all ages.
		
			  2002 2003 
			 Subject Entries Passes Entries Passes 
		
		
			 Art and Design 1,496 1,230 1,165 970 
			 Business 7,623 6,166 9,000 7,049 
			 Health and Social Care 4,029 3,478 5,335 4,547 
			 Manufacturing 53 30 40 26 
			 Construction 166 145 156 104 
			 Hospitality and Catering 241 218 171 141 
			 Science 565 440 511 381 
			 Engineering 477 366 425 340 
			 Information Technology 8,419 6,858 11,788 9,624 
			 Media: Communication and   Production 665 548 841 674 
			 Retail and Distribution 263 196 213 164 
			 Performing Arts 557 488 650 588 
			 Leisure and Recreation 1,787 1,496 1,923 1,558 
			 Travel and Tourism 3,331 2,877 3,872 3,146 
			 Total 29,672 24,536 36,090 29,312 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Entries and passes at the Vocational Certificate of Education (advanced level) double award by students of all ages.
		
			  2002 2003 
			 Subject Entries Passes Entries Passes 
		
		
			 Art and Design 3,981 3,466 3,337 3,064 
			 Business 11,660 9,304 10,042 8,259 
			 Health and Social Care 6,013 5,078 6,086 5,463 
			 Manufacturing 38 33 25 21 
			 Construction 425 332 460 337 
			 Hospitality and Catering 577 514 560 496 
			 Science 1,137 897 1,067 896 
			 Engineering 1,004 646 998 731 
			 Information Technology 7,267 5,800 8,515 7,167 
			 Media: Communication and   Production 1,470 1,210 1,378 1,186 
			 Performing Arts 595 543 582 523 
			 Leisure and Recreation 2,684 2,109 2,436 2,057 
			 Travel and Tourism 5,040 4,140 4,894 4,171 
			 Total 41,891 34,072 40,380 34,371 
		
	
	The DfES does not have statistics on enrolments or drop out rates for individual subjects. The figures supplied count only those students that were entered for the examination.

Apprenticeships (Preston)

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many residents of Preston have undertaken apprenticeships in each of the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not available at parliamentary constituency level. Nor is the information available on a consistent geographical basis over the last five years. However, the following table shows the number of starts on modern apprenticeships in the Lancashire LSC area between April 2001 and the end of July 2003, as well as the number of starts from April 1996 to March 2001 in the two TECs that amalgamated into Lancashire LSC—ELTEC and LAWTEC.
	
		
			 Time period 1 and TEC/LSC Advanced MA Foundation MA 
		
		
			 April 1998 to March 1999  
			 ELTEC 1,000 400 
			 LAWTEC 1,600 100 
			
			 April 1999 to March 2000  
			 ELTEC 800 1,100 
			 LAWTEC 1,900 1,800 
			
			 April 2000 to March 2001  
			 ELTEC 900 1,300 
			 LAWTEC 1,800 2,100 
			
			 April 2001 to July 2002   
			 Lancashire LSC 1,900 4,100 
			
			 August 2002 to July 2003  
			 Lancashire LSC 1,500 3,300 
		
	
	(25) TECs reported the figures in financial years. LSC reports figures in academic years. The first LSC 'year' was 16 months in order to bring the financial year figures into line with academic years.
	Sources:
	TEC Management Information
	LSC Individualised Learner Record

Civil Servants

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list for each civil service grade within his (a) Department and (b) Department's Executive agencies, the total number of staff employed, broken down by (i) gender, (ii) ethnic group and (iii) age group; and how many are registered disabled.

Charles Clarke: The total number of staff employed in my Department, broken down into the requested equality categories are:
	
		(i) Gender
		
			  AA AO EO HEO SEO Grade 7/6 SCS Total 
		
		
			 Male 105 319 375 471 287 316 82 1,955 
			 Female 108 646 751 687 328 298 51 2,869 
			 All staff 213 965 1,126 1,158 615 614 133 4,824 
		
	
	
		(ii) Ethnic group
		
			  AA AO EO HEO SEO Grade 7/6 SCS 1 
		
		
			 White 137 592 745 827 482 478 * 
			 Ethnic Minority 26 161 180 133 36 28 * 
			 Not known 50 212 201 198 97 108 * 
			 All staff 213 965 1126 1158 615 614 133 
		
	
	
		(iii) Recorded disability
		
			  AA AO EO HEO SEO Grade 7/6 SOS 2 
		
		
			 Recorded disability 17 46 51 75 17 19 * 
			 Others 196 919 1075 1083 598 595 * 
			 All staff 213 965 1126 1158 615 614 133 
		
	
	(26)* In accord with civil service guidelines for disclosing equality data SCS numbers deleted out because numbers in one category fall below six.
	(27)* SCS as for ethnic group.
	
		(iv) Age group
		
			  AA AO EO HEO SEO Grade 7/6 and SCS Total 
		
		
			 Under 29 48 259 279 239 36 25 886 
			 30–39 44 282 377 361 186 160 1,410 
			 40–49 36 236 309 379 245 311 1,516 
			 50+ 85 188 161 179 148 251 1,012 
			 All staff 213 965 1,126 1,158 615 747 4,824 
		
	
	SCS and Grade 7/6 numbers amalgamated and age categories under 24 and 60+ amalgamated with next age band as some numbers fall below six.
	My Department has no Executive agencies.

Departmental Consultations

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list each consultation that his Department has held in each year since 1997; and what the cost was of these consultations.

Stephen Twigg: A list of the initiatives my Department has consulted on can be found at www. dfes.gov.uk/consultations/
	It is not possible to provide the cost of consultations undertaken since 1997 as the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) was established after the general election in 2001. Prior to this date the Department for   Education and Employment (DfEE) conducted consultations dating back to 1997. The DfEE operated under different accounting standards to the DfES, making it difficult to provide a consistent cost breakdown for the period in question. In 2001 and 2002 Cabinet Office's monitoring of compliance with the Code of Practice on Consultation included the cost of consultation exercises. The total cost of DfES consultation exercises identified was £514,921.04 in 2001 and £2,508,687.60 in 2002.

Education

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in Heywood and Middleton have received a computer to assist in seeking employment or retraining.

Ivan Lewis: At present no centrally funded schemes exist which enable people to acquire free or low price recycled computers. In the past such schemes have been trialled but have proved costly to administer to ensure fair distribution of equipment.

Education

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the effects on schools of changes since 1997 in the level of   investment in school sports in Stalybridge and Hyde.

Stephen Twigg: The information is not held in the format requested. Within the context of the statutory National Curriculum, where Physical Education (PE) is compulsory for pupils aged 5–16, it is for individual schools to use their budgets as they judge appropriate.
	The Government is investing more than £1 billion in England to transform PE, school sport and club links. The funding will help deliver an ambitious Public Service Agreement target, shared with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to increase the percentage of 5 to16-year-olds who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum to 75 per cent. by 2006.
	The Department is providing just over £400,000 to support the delivery of one School Sport Partnerships in the Tameside LEA area. The partnership includes six   secondary and 18 primary schools and provides enhanced sports opportunities for all young people to ensure that their pupils spend a minimum of two hours a week on high quality PE and School Sport. A key objective for all School Sport Partnerships is to ensure that the improvements and enhanced opportunities that they deliver are sustainable and embedded within schools to ensure a lasting legacy. The New Opportunities Fund has provided schools in the Tameside LEA area with over £3 million specifically to enhance PE and school sport facilities.
	Latest research, published by the Departments on 4 March shows that 68 per cent. of pupils in schools that have been in a partnership for three years, are taking up the two hour entitlement, rising to 90 per cent. at Key Stage 3. Data has been collected from remaining partnerships and will be published in April.

English/Mathematics

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of pupils in Burnley reached the (a) mathematics and (b) English standard in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The results from the 2003 National Curriculum tests showed that 75 per cent. of 11-year-olds in England reached Level 4 in English and 73 per cent. in mathematics. These results represent a significant improvement in standards—of 12 percentage points in English and 11 percentage points in mathematics—since 1997, reflecting the impact of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies on primary schools. We remain absolutely committed, through our new Primary Strategy, to supporting schools to achieve the ambitious targets we have set for standards of literacy and numeracy.
	The following table shows the number and percentage of pupils in Burnley who have achieved Level 4 or above in the Key Stage 2 English and mathematics tests since 1997. The results for Burnley are below the national average but show improvements since 1997 in both English and mathematics which are only slightly below the improvements nationally.
	
		
			  Number of pupils(28) Percentage of pupils 
			  English Mathematics English Mathematics 
		
		
			 1997 785 784 59 59 
			 1998 762 655 60 51 
			 1999 798 794 62 61 
			 2000 844 819 67 65 
			 2001 894 827 67 62 
			 2002 843 864 66 68 
			 2003 850 851 68 68 
		
	
	(28) The number of eligible pupils for the Key Stage 2 tests varies slightly from year to year

English/Mathematics

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of pupils in Preston reached the (a) mathematics and   (b) English standard in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The results from the 2003 National Curriculum tests showed that 75 per cent. of 11-year-olds in England reached Level 4 in English and 73 per cent. in mathematics. These results represent a significant improvement in standards—of 12 percentage points in English and 11 percentage points in mathematics—since 1997, reflecting the impact of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies on primary schools. We remain absolutely committed, through our new Primary Strategy, to supporting schools to achieve the ambitious targets we have set for standards of literacy and numeracy.
	The following table shows the number and percentage of pupils in Preston who have achieved Level 4 or above in the Key Stage 2 English and mathematics tests since 1997. The results for Preston are below the national average but show significant improvements since 1997 in both English and mathematics which are greater than the improvements nationally.
	
		
			  Number of pupils(29) Percentage of pupils 
			  English Mathematics English Mathematics 
		
		
			 1997 666 664 53 52 
			 1998 830 775 62 58 
			 1999 909 913 66 66 
			 2000 935 896 73 70 
			 2001 905 879 70 70 
			 2002 931 939 68 70 
			 2003 918 876 70 67 
		
	
	(29) The number of eligible pupils for the Key Stage 2 tests varies slightly from year to year.

Further Education Colleges

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funds were available to the Learning and Skills Council nationally for further education colleges new build requirements for (a) each year of its existence and (b) the previous three years of the Further Education Funding Council.

Alan Johnson: The Department does not provide a specific budget to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for rebuilding further education colleges. It is for the LSC to determine for itself the right level of capital investment in further education colleges from the funds allocated to it by the Department for capital investment in the post-16 learning and skills sector. In 2001–02 the LSC's total post-16 learning and skills sector capital funding allocation was £136 million. This increased in 2002–03 to 231 million and to £327.5 million in 2003–04. In 1998–99 earmarked capital expenditure allocated to the Further Education Funding Council was NIL. In 1999–2000 it was £42 million and this increased to £56 million in 2000–01.

General Teaching Council

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding has been received by the General Teaching Council from his Department in each year since its creation.

Charles Clarke: Funding has been provided by this Department to the General Teaching Council (GTC) as shown in the table:
	
		£000
		
			  General Teaching Council 
		
		
			 2000–01 (30)4,000 
			 2001–02 9,024 
			 2002–03 3,735 
			 2003–04 1,463 
		
	
	(30) Grant in aid payments to the GTC began in September 2000. Funding in 2000–01 therefore covered the period September 2000 to March 2001 inclusive

Information and Communication Technologies

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money has been allocated to schools in Preston for information and communication technologies since 2001.

Charles Clarke: My Department does not hold information on school level allocations for information and communication technologies. However Preston is in Lancashire LEA and since 2001–02 schools in Lancashire have benefited from the following funding through the Standards Fund grant for ICT (including match funding from the LEA):
	
		
			  Allocation to Lancashire LEA (£) 
		
		
			 2001–02 6,483,142 
			 2002–03 8,983,493 
			 2003–04 9,169,124 
			 2004–05 11,892,478

Information and Communication Technologies

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many women in Preston have visited an information and communications technology training centre in order to learn skills to return to work.

Ivan Lewis: In the period October 2003 1 –March 2004, 6,262 people visited a UK online centre in the Preston constituency. 3,507 (56 per cent.) of these people were women.
	Since learndirect was launched in 1999, 4,197 people from the Preston constituency have enrolled on a learndirect course. 2,395 (57 per cent.) of these people were women. Of the total number of women who enrolled on a course, 3 per cent. did so in order to learn skills to return to work.
	1  Please note the complete statistics are not available for UK online prior to September 2003 as the DfES did not collect this data on a centre-by-centre basis.

Information and Communication Technologies

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in Preston have received a computer to assist in seeking employment or retraining.

Ivan Lewis: At present no centrally funded schemes exist which enable people to acquire free or low price recycled computers. In the past such schemes have been trialled but have proved costly to administer to ensure fair distribution of equipment.

Information and Communication Technologies

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the impact of information and communication technology on (a) GCSE and (b) A-level grades.

Charles Clarke: Independent research has found that, when used effectively, ICT can raise levels of pupil attainment by the equivalent of half a grade at GSCE. We do not have any comparable research at 'A' level but this is currently being considered.

Information and Communication Technologies

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many women in Burnley have visited an information and communications technology training centre in order to learn skills to return to work.

Ivan Lewis: In the period October 2003 1 —March 2004, 3,030 people visited a UK online centre in the Burnley constituency. 1,697 (56 per cent.) of these people were women.
	Since learndirect was launched in 1999, 4,119 people from the Burnley Constituency have enrolled on a learndirect course. 2,466 (60 per cent.) of these people were women. Of the total number of women who enrolled on a course, 3 per cent. did so in order to learn skills to return to work.
	1  Please note the complete statistics are not available for UK online prior to September 2003 as the DfES did not collect this data on a centre-by-centre basis.

Information and Communication Technologies

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in Burnley have received acomputer to assist in seeking employment or retraining.

Ivan Lewis: At present no centrally funded schemes exist which enable people to acquire free or low price recycled computers. In the past such schemes have been trialled but have proved costly to administer to ensure fair distribution of equipment.

Information and Communication Technologies

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many women in Manchester, Gorton have visited an information and communications technology training centre in order to learn skills to return to work.

Charles Clarke: In the period October 2003 1 —March 2004, 2,828 people visited a UK online centre in the Manchester Gorton constituency. 1,584 (56 per cent.) of these people were women.
	Since learndirect was launched in 1999, 6,485 people from the Manchester Gorton Constituency have enrolled on a learndirect course. 3,120 (48 per cent.) of these people were women. Of the total number of women who enrolled on a course, 8 per cent. did so in order to learn skills to return to work.
	1  Please note the complete statistics are not available for UK online prior to September 2003 as the DfES did not collect this data on a centre-by-centre basis.

Information and Communication Technologies

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding has been allocated to   schools in the Easington constituency for IT technologies in 2002–03; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Clarke: My Department does not hold information on school level allocations for information and communication technologies. However, Easington is in Durham LEA and in 2002–03 schools in Durham benefited from £4,168,531 through the Standards Fund grant for ICT (including match funding from the LEA).
	Research shows that, when used effectively, ICT can engage pupils in learning and raise standards of performance to the equivalent of half a grade at GCSE. The positive impact of ICT in schools takes place irrespective of the socio-economic context of the school.

Literacy/Numeracy (Burnley)

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding has been spent on adult (a) literacy and (b) numeracy in Burnley in each of the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: The estimated total spend on Skills For Life (the Government's strategy for literacy, language and numeracy needs of all post-16 learners from pre-entry level up to and including level 2) and on Key Skills (essential skills of communication, application of number and information technology), from April 2001 to July 2003, in the Lancashire Learning and Skills Council (LSC) area is set out in the table.
	
		£ thousands
		
			  Basic skills(31) Key skills 
		
		
			 April 2001 to July 2001(31) 3,370 1,270 
			 August 2001 to July 2002 6,577 1,857 
			 August 2002 to July 2003 7,815 1,948 
		
	
	(31) The figures for April to July 2001 include costs incurred from August 2000 on learning aims continuing into April 2001.
	From the information available to the LSC it has not been feasible to obtain estimates at constituency level or   separate figures by subject without incurring disproportionate cost. Likewise it has not been feasible to obtain comparable figures for periods before April 2001 when the Skills for Life strategy was launched and the LSC was formed, but information shows it was considerably less than at present.

Managed Migration

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  pursuant to the Home Secretary's written statement of 22 April 2004, on managed migration, whether publicly funded institutions will have to become accredited in order for the Home Office to approve visa applications for their students;
	(2)  pursuant to the Home Secretary's written statement of 22 April 2004 on Managed Migration, Official Report, column 23WS, whether publicly-funded institutions will have to become accredited in order for the Home Office to approve visa applications for their students.

Charles Clarke: Approval for leave to study will   be based on a list we are putting together of institutions we know are offering genuine educational opportunities. This will, of course, include publicly funded higher and further education institutions.
	In addition to this there are a number of private English language schools already accredited by the British Council who will automatically be registered.
	Other private colleges offering genuine educational opportunities will have nothing to fear and will be included in the list following an accreditation process.
	The new measures announced are specifically targeted at those organisations intent on getting around the visa regulations and not to damage genuine providers of good quality education. The Home Office is undertaking an intensive round of inspections of colleges where there are suspicions. Visa issue will be put on hold in respect of these until the checks have been made.

Religious Schools

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many schools of a religious nature there are, broken down by (a) local education authority and (b) religious affiliation;
	(2)  how many Church of England schools there are, broken down by local education authority.

David Miliband: The information for mainstream schools of a religious nature, including Church of England schools, maintained by local education authorities in England is shown in the following tables.
	
		
			 Local education authority Christian CofE CofE/ Christian CofE/ FC CofE/ Methodist CofE/ RC CofE/ URC Greek Jewish 
		
		
			 City of London — 1 — — — — — — — 
			 Camden — 13 — — — — — — — 
			 Greenwich — 8 — — — — — — — 
			 Hackney — 8 — — — — — — 3 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham — 7 — — — — — — — 
			 Islington — 9 — — — — — — — 
			 Kensington and Chelsea — 7 — — — — — — — 
			 Lambeth — 18 — — — — — — — 
			 Lewisham — 11 — — — — — — — 
			 Southwark — 14 — — — — — — — 
			 Tower Hamlets — 11 — — — — — — — 
			 Wandsworth — 10 — — — — — — — 
			 Westminster 1 22 — — — — — — — 
			 Barking and Dagenham — 2 — — — — — — — 
			 Barnet — 17 — — — — — — 9 
			 Bexley — 7 — — — — — — — 
			 Brent — 5 — — — — — — 4 
			 Bromley — 9 — — — — — — — 
			 Croydon — 9 — — — — — 1 — 
			 Ealing — 4 — — — — — — — 
			 Enfield — 13 — — — — — — 1 
			 Haringey — 10 — — — — — — — 
			 Harrow — 2 — — — — — — 1 
			 Havering 1 3 — — — — — — — 
			 Hillingdon — 7 — — — — — — — 
			 Hounslow — 3 — — — — — — — 
			 Kingston upon Thames — 12 — — — — — — — 
			 Merton — 5 — — — — — — — 
			 Newham — 3 — — — — — — — 
			 Redbridge — 1 — — — — — — 3 
			 Richmond upon Thames — 10 — — — — — — — 
			 Sutton — 5 — — — — — — — 
			 Waltham Forest — 4 — — — — — — — 
			 Birmingham 5 25 — — 1 — — — 1 
			 Coventry — 9 — — — — — — — 
			 Dudley — 13 — — — — — — — 
			 Sandwell — 11 — — — — — — — 
			 Solihull — 13 — — — — — — — 
			 Walsall — 14 — — — — — — — 
			 Wolverhampton — 17 — — — — — — — 
			 Knowsley — 6 — — — — — — — 
			 Liverpool — 16 — — — 1 — — 2 
			 St. Helens — 12 — — — — 1 — — 
			 Sefton — 18 — — — — — — — 
			 Wirral — 12 — — — — — — — 
			 Bolton — 32 — — 1 — — — — 
			 Bury — 18 — — 1 — — — 2 
			 Manchester — 27 — — — — — — 3 
			 Oldham — 28 — 1 1 — — — — 
			 Rochdale — 18 — — 1 — — — — 
			 Salford — 20 — — — — — — 1 
			 Stockport — 12 — — — — — — 1 
			 Tameside — 18 — — — — — — — 
			 Trafford — 8 — — — — — — — 
			 Wigan — 44 — — 1 — — — — 
			 Barnsley — 14 — — — 1 — — — 
			 Doncaster — 11 — — — — — — — 
			 Rotherham — 12 — — — — — — — 
			 Sheffield — 10 — — 1 — — — — 
			 Bradford — 27 — — — — — — — 
			 Calderdale — 23 — — — — — — — 
			 Kirklees — 49 — — — — — — — 
			 Leeds — 41 — — — — — — 1 
			 Wakefield — 21 — — — — — — — 
			 Gateshead — 2 — — — — — — — 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne — 4 — — — — — — — 
			 North Tyneside — 3 — — — — — — — 
			 South Tyneside — 7 — — — — — — — 
			 Sunderland — 4 — — — — — — — 
			 Isles of Scilly — 1 — — — — — — — 
			 Bath and North East Somerset — 36 — — — — — — — 
			 Bristol, City of — 13 — — — — — — — 
			 North Somerset — 27 — — 1 — — — — 
			 South Gloucestershire — 31 — — 1 — — — — 
			 Hartlepool — 5 — — — — — — — 
			 Middlesbrough — — — — — — — — — 
			 Redcar and Cleveland — 2 — — — — — — — 
			 Stockton-on-Tees — 11 — — — — — — — 
			 Kingston Upon Hull, City of — 5 — — — — — — — 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire — 44 — — — — — — — 
			 North East Lincolnshire — 7 — — — — — — — 
			 North Lincolnshire — 17 — — 1 — — — — 
			 North Yorkshire 1 142 — — 1 — — — — 
			 York — 13 — — — — — — — 
			 Bedfordshire — 41 — — — — — — — 
			 Luton — 1 — — — — — — — 
			 Buckinghamshire 1 62 — — — — — — — 
			 Milton Keynes — 9 — — — — — — — 
			 Derbyshire 2 104 — — 1 — — — — 
			 Derby — 7 — — — — — — — 
			 Dorset 1 89 — — — — — — — 
			 Poole — 4 — — — 1 — — — 
			 Bournemouth — 9 — — — — — — — 
			 Durham — 26 — — — — — — — 
			 Darlington — 7 — — — — — — — 
			 East Sussex — 67 — — 1 — — — — 
			 Brighton and Hove — 8 — — — — — — — 
			 Hampshire — 115 — — — — — — — 
			 Portsmouth — 3 — — — — — — — 
			 Southampton — 6 — — — — — — — 
			 Leicestershire — 92 — — — — — — — 
			 Leicester — 3 — — — — — — — 
			 Rutland — 11 — — — — — — — 
			 Staffordshire 1 103 — — 1 — — — — 
			 Stoke-on-Trent — 13 — — — — — — — 
			 Wiltshire 1 138 1 — — — 1 — — 
			 Swindon — 6 — — — — — — — 
			 Bracknell Forest — 8 — — — — — — — 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead — 24 — — — 1 — — — 
			 West Berkshire — 31 — — — — — — — 
			 Reading — 4 — — — — — — — 
			 Slough — 3 — — — — — — — 
			 Wokingham — 16 — — — — — — — 
			 Cambridgeshire — 63 — — — 2 — — — 
			 Peterborough — 13 — — — — — — — 
			 Cheshire — 72 — — — — — — — 
			 Halton — 8 — — — — — — — 
			 Warrington — 19 — — — — — — — 
			 Devon 1 115 — — — — — — — 
			 Plymouth — 8 — — — — — — — 
			 Torbay — 9 — — — — — — — 
			 Essex 2 119 — — — 1 — — — 
			 Southend-on-Sea — 1 — — — — — — — 
			 Thurrock — 3 — — — — — — — 
			 Herefordshire — 40 — — — — — — — 
			 Worcestershire — 93 — — — — — — — 
			 Kent 1 168 — — — — — — — 
			 Medway — 10 — — — — — — — 
			 Lancashire 5 180 — — 5 — — — — 
			 Blackburn with Darwin — 24 — — 1 — — — — 
			 Blackpool — 5 — — — — — — — 
			 Nottinghamshire — 64 — — 2 — — — — 
			 Nottingham — 5 — — — — — — — 
			 Shropshire — 83 — — — — — — — 
			 Telford and Wrekin — 11 — — 1 — — — — 
			 Cornwall — 44 — — — — — — — 
			 Cumbria — 113 — — — — — — — 
			 Gloucestershire — 108 — — — — — — — 
			 Hertfordshire 1 91 — — — — — — 2 
			 Isle of Wight — 19 — — — — — — — 
			 Lincolnshire 3 118 — — 4 — — — — 
			 Norfolk 3 121 — — — — — — — 
			 Northamptonshire 1 83 — — — — — — — 
			 Northumberland — 36 — — — — — — — 
			 Oxfordshire 1 119 — — — — — — — 
			 Somerset — 119 — — 2 1 — — — 
			 Suffolk — 96 — — — — — — — 
			 Surrey — 90 — — — 1 — — — 
			 Warwickshire — 71 — — — — — — — 
			 West Sussex — 83 — — — — — — — 
			 England 32 4,678 1 1 29 9 2 1 34 
		
	
	
		
			 Local education authority Methodist Methodist/ CofE Muslim Quaker RC RC/ CofE SDA Sikh URC All schools of a religious nature 
		
		
			 City of London — — — — — — — — — 1 
			 Camden — — — — 10 — — — — 23 
			 Greenwich — — — — 13 — — — — 21 
			 Hackney — — — — 6 — — — — 17 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham — — — — 9 — — — — 16 
			 Islington — — — — 9 — — — — 18 
			 Kensington and Chelsea — — — — 10 — — — — 17 
			 Lambeth — — — — 9 — — — — 27 
			 Lewisham — — — — 13 — — — — 24 
			 Southwark — — — — 16 — — — — 30 
			 Tower Hamlets — — — — 11 — — — — 22 
			 Wandsworth — — — — 11 — — — — 21 
			 Westminster — — — — 8 — — — — 31 
			 Barking and Dagenham — — — — 6 — — — — 8 
			 Barnet — — — — 15 — — — — 41 
			 Bexley — — — — 10 — — — — 17 
			 Brent — — — 1 14 — — — — 24 
			 Bromley — — — — 9 — — — — 18 
			 Croydon — — — — 16 — — — — 26 
			 Ealing — — — — 9 — — — — 13 
			 Enfield — — — — 7 — — — — 21 
			 Haringey — — — — 12 — 1 — — 23 
			 Harrow — — — — 8 — — — — 11 
			 Havering — — — — 10 — — — — 14 
			 Hillingdon — — — — 7 — — 2 — 16 
			 Hounslow — — — — 10 — — — — 13 
			 Kingston upon Thames — — — — 6 — — — — 18 
			 Merton — — — — 8 — — — — 13 
			 Newham — — — — 9 — — — — 12 
			 Redbridge — — — — 9 — — — — 13 
			 Richmond upon Thames — — — — 6 — — — — 16 
			 Sutton — — — — 7 — — — — 12 
			 Waltham Forest — — — — 7 — — — — 11 
			 Birmingham — 1 2 — 63 — — — — 98 
			 Coventry — — — — 22 — — — — 31 
			 Dudley — — — — 6 — — — — 19 
			 Sandwell — — — — 9 — — — — 20 
			 Solihull — — — — 11 — — — — 24 
			 Walsall — — — — 11 — — — — 25 
			 Wolverhampton — — — — 12 — — — — 29 
			 Knowsley — — — — 29 — — — — 35 
			 Liverpool — — — — 65 — — — — 84 
			 St. Helens 1 — — — 21 — — — — 35 
			 Sefton — — — — 37 — — — — 55 
			 Wirral — — — — 24 — — — — 36 
			 Bolton — — — — 19 — — — — 52 
			 Bury 2 — — — 12 — — — — 35 
			 Manchester — — — — 43 — — — — 73 
			 Oldham — — — — 14 — — — — 44 
			 Rochdale — — — — 17 — — — — 36 
			 Salford 2 — — — 25 — — — — 48 
			 Stockport — — — — 18 — — — — 31 
			 Tameside 1 — — — 15 — — — — 34 
			 Trafford — — — — 19 — — — — 27 
			 Wigan 2 — — — 35 — — — — 82 
			 Barnsley — — — — 5 — — — — 20 
			 Doncaster — — — — 11 — — — — 22 
			 Rotherham — — — — 9 — — — — 21 
			 Sheffield — — — — 15 — — — — 26 
			 Bradford — — — — 24 — — — — 52 
			 Calderdale — — — — 8 — — — — 31 
			 Kirklees — — — — 10 — — — — 59 
			 Leeds — — — — 34 — — — — 76 
			 Wakefield 1 — — — 11 — — — — 33 
			 Gateshead — — — — 20 — — — — 22 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne — — — — 21 — — — — 25 
			 North Tyneside — — — — 10 — — — — 13 
			 South Tyneside — — — — 13 — — — — 20 
			 Sunderland — — — — 18 — — — — 22 
			 Isles of Scilly — — — — — — — — — 1 
			 Bath and North East Somerset — — — — 3 — — — — 39 
			 Bristol, City of — — — — 15 — — — — 29 
			 North Somerset — — — — 3 — — — — 31 
			 South Gloucestershire — — — — 6 — — — — 38 
			 Hartlepool — — — — 7 — — — — 12 
			 Middlesbrough — — — — 13 — — — — 13 
			 Redcar and Cleveland — — — — 11 — — — — 13 
			 Stockton-on-Tees — — — — 15 — — — — 26 
			 Kingston Upon Hull, City of — — — — 8 — — — — 13 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire — — — — 5 — — — — 49 
			 North East Lincolnshire — — — — 3 — — — — 10 
			 North Lincolnshire — — — — 5 — — — — 23 
			 North Yorkshire 3 — — — 23 1 — — — 171 
			 York — — — — 6 — — — — 19 
			 Bedfordshire — — — — 7 — — — — 48 
			 Luton — — — — 7 — — — — 8 
			 Buckinghamshire — — — — 8 — — — — 71 
			 Milton Keynes — — — — 5 — — — — 14 
			 Derbyshire 1 — — — 20 — — — — 128 
			 Derby — — — — 6 — — — — 13 
			 Dorset — — — — 8 — — — — 98 
			 Poole — — — — 2 — — — — 7 
			 Bournemouth — — — — 4 — — — — 13 
			 Durham — — — — 42 — — — — 68 
			 Darlington — — — — 5 — — — — 12 
			 East Sussex 1 — — — 10 — — — — 79 
			 Brighton and Hove — — — — 8 — — — — 16 
			 Hampshire — — — — 16 — — — — 131 
			 Portsmouth — — — — 5 — — — — 8 
			 Southampton — — — — 5 — — — — 11 
			 Leicestershire — — — — 14 — — — — 106 
			 Leicester — — — — 8 — — — — 11 
			 Rutland — — — — 1 — — — — 12 
			 Staffordshire 1 — — — 38 — — — — 143 
			 Stoke-on-Trent — — — — 16 — — — — 29 
			 Wiltshire — — — — 12 — — — — 153 
			 Swindon — — — — 6 — — — — 12 
			 Bracknell Forest — — — — 2 — — — — 10 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead — — — — 4 — — — — 29 
			 West Berkshire — — — — 3 — — — — 34 
			 Reading — — — — 5 — — — — 9 
			 Slough — — — — 7 — — — — 10 
			 Wokingham — — — — 2 — — — — 18 
			 Cambridgeshire — — — — 2 — — — — 67 
			 Peterborough — — — — 3 — — — — 16 
			 Cheshire — — — — 30 — — — — 102 
			 Halton — — — — 15 — — — — 23 
			 Warrington — — — — 16 — — — — 35 
			 Devon — — — — 9 — — — — 125 
			 Plymouth — — — — 8 — — — — 16 
			 Torbay — — — — 4 1 — — — 14 
			 Essex — — — — 31 — — — — 153 
			 Southend-on-Sea — — — — 6 — — — — 7 
			 Thurrock — — — — 5 — — — — 8 
			 Herefordshire — — — — 4 — — — — 44 
			 Worcestershire — — — — 17 — — — — 110 
			 Kent 2 — — — 33 — — — — 204 
			 Medway — — — — 9 — — — — 19 
			 Lancashire 9 1 — — 126 — — — 1 327 
			 Blackburn with Darwin — — — — 13 — — — — 38 
			 Blackpool — — — — 9 — — — — 14 
			 Nottinghamshire — — — — 15 — — — — 81 
			 Nottingham — — — — 9 — — — — 14 
			 Shropshire — — — — 3 — — — — 86 
			 Telford and Wrekin — — — — 5 — — — — 17 
			 Cornwall — — — — 4 — — — — 48 
			 Cumbria — — — — 29 — — — — 142 
			 Gloucestershire — — — — 11 — — — — 119 
			 Hertfordshire — — — — 44 — — — — 138 
			 Isle of Wight — — — — 6 — — — — 25 
			 Lincolnshire — — — — 9 — — — — 134 
			 Norfolk — — — — 6 — — — — 130 
			 Northamptonshire — — — — 17 — — — — 101 
			 Northumberland — — — — 16 — — — — 52 
			 Oxfordshire — — — — 17 — — — — 137 
			 Somerset 1 — — — 8 — — — — 131 
			 Suffolk — — — — 13 — — — — 109 
			 Surrey — — — — 33 — — — — 124 
			 Warwickshire — — — — 26 — — — — 97 
			 West Sussex — — — 1 19 — — — — 103 
			 England 26 2 4 1 2,075 2 1 2 1 6,901 
		
	
	Notes:
	CofE = Church of England
	FC = Free Church
	RC = Roman Catholic
	URC = United Reformed Church
	SDA = Seventh Day Adventist
	Source:
	Edubase (DfES database of educational establishments).

School Computers

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding has been spent on computers for schools in Burnley in each of the last seven years.

Charles Clarke: My Department does not collect information on school spend on computers at constituency level. However Burnley is in Lancashire LEA and since 1998–99 schools in Lancashire have benefited from the following funding through the Standards Fund grant for ICT (including match funding from the LEA):
	
		
			  Allocation to Lancashire LEA (£) 
		
		
			 1998–99 2,500,000 
			 1999–2000 1,627,867 
			 2000–01 5,576,036 
			 2001–02 6,483,142 
			 2002–03 8,983,493 
			 2003–04 9,169,124 
			 2004–05 11,892,478

School Computers

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding has been spent on computers for schools in Manchester, Gorton in each of the last seven years.

Charles Clarke: My Department does not collect information on school spend on computers at constituency level. However Manchester, Gorton is in Manchester LEA and since 1998–99 schools in Manchester have benefited from the following funding through the Standards Fund grant for ICT (including match funding from the LEA):
	
		
			  Allocation to Manchester LEA (£) 
		
		
			 1998–99 983,605 
			 1999–2000 1,410,000 
			 2000–01 1,861602 
			 2001–02 2,012,866 
			 2002–03 2,932,949 
			 2003–04 2,880,827 
			 2004–05 3,682,324

School Sports

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effects on schools in Burnley of changes since 1997 in the level of investment in school sports;
	(2)  how much has been invested in sustainable school sports in Burnley.

Stephen Twigg: This information is not collected in the format requested.
	Within the context of the statutory National Curriculum, where Physical Education (PE) is compulsory for pupils aged five to16, it is for individual schools to use their budgets as they judge appropriate.
	The Government is investing more than £1 billion in England to transform PE, school sport and club links. The funding will help deliver an ambitious Public Service Agreement target, shared with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to increase the percentage of five to 16 year olds who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum to 75 per cent. by 2006.
	The Department is providing just over £440,000 to support the delivery of a School Sport Partnership in the Lancashire LEA area. The partnership includes five secondary and 21 primary schools and provides enhanced sports opportunities for all young people to ensure that their pupils spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and School Sport. A key objective for all School Sport Partnerships is to ensure that the improvements and enhanced opportunities that they deliver are sustainable and embedded within schools to ensure a lasting legacy. The New Opportunities Fund has provided schools in the Lancashire LEA area with nearly £12 million specifically to enhance PE and school sport facilities.
	Latest research, published by the Departments on 4 March shows that 68 per cent. of pupils in schools that have been in a partnership for three years, are taking up the two hour entitlement, rising to 90 per cent. at Key Stage 3. Data has been collected from the remaining partnerships and will be published in April.

School Sports

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effects on schools of changes since 1997 in the level of investment in school sports in Manchester, Gorton;
	(2)  how much money has been invested in sustainable school sports in Manchester, Gorton.

Stephen Twigg: The information is not held centrally. Within the context of the statutory National Curriculum, where Physical Education (PE) is compulsory for pupils aged five to 16, it is for individual schools to use their budgets as they judge appropriate.
	The Government are investing more than £1 billion in England to transform PE, school sport and club links. The funding will help deliver an ambitious Public Service Agreement target, shared with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to increase the percentage of five to 16-year-olds who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum to 75 per cent. by 2006.
	The Department is providing just over £1.5 million to support the delivery of three School Sport Partnerships in the Manchester LEA area. The partnerships include 15 secondary and 92 primary schools and provide enhanced sports opportunities for all young people to ensure that their pupils spend a minimum of two hours a week on high quality PE and School Sport. A key objective for all School Sport Partnerships is to ensure that the improvements and enhanced opportunities that they deliver are sustainable and embedded within schools to ensure a lasting legacy. The New Opportunities Fund has provided schools in the Manchester LEA area with over £10 million to specifically enhance PE and school sport facilities.
	Latest research, published by the Departments on 4 March shows that 68 per cent. of pupils in schools that have been in a partnership for three years, are taking up the two hour entitlement, rising to 90 per cent. at Key Stage 3. Data have been collected from remaining Partnerships and will be published in April.

Sports Days

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent estimate he has made of the number of schools holding annual school sports' days; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Twigg: holding answer 26 April 2004
	Almost all schools hold an annual school sports day. The 2003–04 PE, School Sport and Club Links survey found that 96 per cent. of the 6,547 schools taking part in the survey held a sports day or equivalent event during the last academic year. The full results of the survey will be published later this year and a copy of the report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

Teachers

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teacher vacancies there were in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each year since 1997, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

David Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

Teachers

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacant head teacher posts existed in (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools and (c) special schools in each year since 1997, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

David Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

Teachers

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what guidelines his Department issues on disciplinary action schools should take against teachers who develop inappropriate relationships with pupils outside of school hours;
	(2)  what guidelines his Department issues on investigations schools should conduct into allegations of impropriety against a teacher;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on his policies on the prevention of inappropriate relationships between teachers and pupils.

David Miliband: My Department does not issue guidelines about the disciplinary action that might be   appropriate to particular issues. The disciplinary sanctions that can be applied against staff in schools are governed by employment law in the same way as for any other employer, and each case must be considered on its merits.
	Guidance about procedures for dealing with allegations against teachers, and other staff, including guidance about conducting disciplinary investigations, is annexed to my Department's Circular 10/95: "The protection of children from abuse: The role of the education service". However, the guidance also makes it clear that allegations involving a possible criminal offence, and allegations of possible child abuse must be investigated by the police and the social services respectively because those are the agencies with statutory responsibility for such matters.
	An inappropriate relationship between a teacher and a pupil has always been regarded as professionally wrong, and as misconduct that is grounds for disciplinary action, including dismissal, by an employer. That kind of behaviour is also grounds on which the Secretary of State will consider exercising his powers under section 142 of the Education Act 2002 to prohibit the person from future employment as a teacher and other work involving regular contact with children and young people in the education service.
	The Government also introduced a new criminal offence of abuse of trust in the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000 to protect young people under 18 years of age who are in full time education, or looked after by a local authority, or resident in NHS or other institutions, or in detention under an enactment. As well as teachers it applies to any adult working in one of those settings who is regularly involved in caring for, training, supervising, or being in sole charge of children under 18. As far as teachers it is an offence for a teacher to have relationship that involves sexual intercourse, or any other sexual activity, with a young person under 18 who is a pupil at the teacher's school. That offence is punishable by up to five years imprisonment, and it is repealed and re-enacted in the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
	In addition, cross departmental guidance "Caring for Young People and the Vulnerable?" about preventing abuse of trust was published jointly by the Home Office, my Department, and the Department of Health in 1999. The guidance aims to help organisations create their own codes of conduct to prevent abuse of trust, either as part of wider codes to prevent abuse, or separately.

University Staff (Salaries)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average percentage change in salary for (a) university academic staff, (b) academic-related staff and (c) vice-chancellors has been for each year since 1993.

Alan Johnson: The Department does not collect all the information requested. However the Higher Education Statistics Agency, through the "Individualised Staff Record" (ISR), collects data that can be used to provide estimates of the earnings growth of academic staff employed by Higher Education Institutions. "Academic staff" are defined in the ISR as those whose primary employment function is teaching, research, or a combination of the two.
	The ISR does not allow us to provide earnings data on other groups, such as vice-chancellors and academic-related staff where their primary function is not as stated above. Further, this source can only provide earnings growth data from 1995/96, and is also best used in analysing full-time employees only.
	The following table shows the annual percentage change in the average salaries of full-time academic staff from 1995/96 to 2002/03, in real terms (adjusted by the Retail Price Index).
	
		Table: Annual percentage change in the real average salaries of full-time academic staff, 1995/96 to 2002/03
		
			  Gender 
			 Academic year Female Male 
		
		
			 1995/96 -1.2 -1.7 
			 1996/97 2.1 2.4 
			 1997/98 0.4 0.2 
			 1998/99 1.6 2.5 
			 1999/2000 2.1 2.4 
			 2000/01 1.4 1.2 
			 2001/02 1.2 1.0 
			 2002/03 1.8 1.4